Which pineapple tarts are worth the calories? Chef Shen Tan tries 27 types to find her top 5

SINGAPORE – Private dining chef and content creator Shen Tan, 53, set out to look for the best pineapple tarts this festive season. She ordered and tasted 27 different tarts, paying for every jar herself to stay impartial, and ranked them using criteria she set for pastry, pineapple filling and overall balance.

She posted her top five picks on her Instagram account @chefshentan on Jan 22 and released her full-length taste test video on YouTube on Jan 23.

Her aim was to find out if smaller local bakeries or home-based bakers make better pineapple tarts than large-scale commercial bakeries. 

After three days of taste tests, she concluded the results supported her theory that small scale trumps big. “They have an artisanal mindset towards making tarts, so they usually don’t use additives or preservatives,” she says. This results in fresher tarts with shorter refrigerated shelf lives of two to three weeks.

The idea came to her in July 2025. She began trawling the internet for reviews, and also took word-of-mouth recommendations from fellow foodies and her 27,600 Instagram followers.

By Jan 5 in 2026, she had ordered pineapple tarts from the most-lauded home bakers, boutique patisseries and established brands here. Some did not arrive in time, but she proceeded with the 27 that did.

In total, she estimates she spent more than $1,000 on her quest, as several sellers required minimum orders of two or three jars. “I wanted to put myself in the shoes of a consumer spending his or her hard-earned dollars,” she says.

Taste test

She carried out the taste tests from Jan 19 to 21, spending about two hours on Day 1 and 2 filming and tasting, and three hours on the final day to re-taste her top picks. She rinsed her mouth with water after every two tarts to keep her palate clean.

Across three days, she ate 64 pineapple tarts – each in a single bite unless it was too large. She assessed them for texture, aroma and balance. For every jar, she tried two tarts, and for her top five, another four each.

Her criteria were specific. The pastry had to be buttery, flaky, crumbly and aromatic, with a hint of salt. The pineapple jam needed to be in textured chunks, balanced between sweet and tart, and not overly sugary. She prioritised harmony between pastry and pineapple.

Her scores ranged from five to 9.5 out of 10. A score of five meant she would not buy it again. Scores of six to seven were above average, 7.5 marked a top five contender, and eight and above meant excellence.

She expected her long-time favourites such as Kele, Ding Bakery and Mdm Ling Bakery to perform well, but surprisingly, none made her top five. Kele, her favourite in 2025, scored 6.5, while Ding Bakery and Mdm Ling Bakery received six points.

Most tarts fell between six and 7.25, including those from stalwarts like Joyus Pastries, Wang Lai Bakery and Lao Ban Niang, which she described as “above average but not outstanding”.

Since her first video, she has received yet more recommendations from viewers and will be dropping her reviews of eight more brands of pineapple tarts on her social media accounts on Feb 9. 

Thus far, these are her top five pineapple tarts for 2026.

First: Tan Lee Eng Pineapple Tarts ($45 for 20 pieces, 400g)

Ms Tan ranks the tarts from this home-based baker as her top choice for its balance of buttery pastry and tangy sweet pineapple. The pineapple has juicy chunks and a “heady and perfumed” aroma.

Second: Whiskdom Classic Pineapple Balls ($28.80 for 20 pieces, 400g)

Whiskdom’s pineapple balls were a close contender for the top spot. The pastry is buttery and toasty, and the jam has a clean, tart profile. It places second because she feels the pineapple filling could use more texture.

Third: Krumb Golden Pineapple Ball ($26 for about 32 to 36 pieces, 420g)

A well-made tart with flaky, short pastry and good pineapple jam. But the filling is a little too sweet, she says.

Fourth: Le Cafe Confectionery & Bakery ($38 for 20 pieces)

It is known for its golf ball-size tarts. Ms Tan likes the generous amount of tangy, chunky pineapple jam wrapped in thin pastry, but feels the pastry is not buttery or short enough.

Fifth: Nesuto Brown Butter Vanilla Pineapple Tarts ($38.90 for 32 pieces, 640g)

The pastry is very short and buttery. The pineapple jam, however, does not have the aromatic lift she looks for, placing it in fifth position.

Pineapple Tart Cheesecake

After her experiment, Ms Tan looked for a way to use up all the leftovers. Inspired by British celebrity chef Nigella Lawson’s mango cheesecake, she created her rendition of a pineapple tart cheesecake.

For home cooks, her key advice is to let the cheesecake cool and chill fully before serving. Cheese options include parmigiano, pecorino, grano padano and cheddar.

Ms Tan is selling the cake at $90 each, with a three-day advance order. Orders can be placed via Instagram @chefshentan

INGREDIENTS

METHOD

1. Pre-heat oven to 210 deg C for at least 30 minutes. Use a large piece of baking paper to line a 23cm springform pan. 

2. Crush the pineapple tarts and line the base with the crushed tarts.

3. Blend the cream cheese, cheese, heavy cream, sugar and salt in a blender or use a stand mixer with the paddle attachment to mix the ingredients well.

4. Add in the eggs, one at a time, and mix well.

5. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and place in the oven. Bake at 210 deg C for 20 minutes or until the top of the cheesecake is dark brown and the centre still jiggles. 

6. Then reduce the heat to 160 deg C and bake for another 40 minutes.

7. Chill for at least five hours in the refrigerator before serving.