Indonesian style pineapple filled cookies

In Indonesia we call them kue nastar. This cookie is usually one of the staple for Chinese New Year. Growing up my mom made them quite a few times but honestly the ones she made were not as good as the bought ones. Later on she stopped making them altogether. Living in US made me appreciate some of stuffs I took for granted. Now when I miss this cookie (and also other snacks) I just have to try to make them myself.

The first attemp came out very flaky and melted in mouth but they looked horrible due to lack of flour to hold the butter together. Second attempt - slightly better. Third attempt came out best so far.

edited (01/26/2012 after third attempts)

Filing :
1 pineapple. Grated.
Strain the juice out. Pour the pineapple into a small sauce pan over a medium heat. Stir until all of the liquid is gone. Season with sugar to taste. It takes about 3/4 cup of sugar for mine since the pineapple I got was pretty tangy. One medium to large size pineapple yielded about one cup of pineapple filling. Get the filling prepared one day ahead so it has time to dried out a bit overnight. It will make it less watery when filled in the dough later on.

Dough :
2 3 stick butter - room temperature
1 3 cups all purpose flour
2 4 tbs sugar
2 4 tbs milk powder

Method :
Using a mixer, beat sugar and butter on low speed until mixed well. Put in the dry ingredients and mix well.

Using your fingers, grab the dough enough to make a ball about the size of quarter. Shape the dough to form a small ball. Using your thumb press down on the ball to make a shape of small bowl. Then slowly with your fingers, shape the press down area to make it wider so it will be able to contain pineapple filing.

Use a small spoon or a chopstick, pick some pineapple and drop it into the rounded area of the small ball dough. Pinch around the dough to close up the ball and shape it back to a rounded ball. Place it onto a tray covered with parchment paper.

I put too much pineapple filling here. Don't put so much because it will overflowed and harder to pinch close later on.

When all done, make egg wash out of one egg yolk. Using a brush, brush the ready made ball with the egg wash. Drop the tray in the oven preheated to 280F 310F. Bake for about 15 minutes or until golden brown.

yield : 40-45 cookies.