For the pastry:
4 medium sized eggs
1/2 cup sugar
3/4 cup pressed maida
1/3 tsp. pineapple essence
For the icing:
1 1/4 cup fresh cream
2 egg whites, beaten (optional)
3/4 cup icing sugar
1/4 cup chilled water
1/3 tsp. pineapple essence
2 or 3 slices of pineapple
Cherries for decoration
1/4 cup pineapple syrup

Pineapple Pastry

1. For the pastry, grease the pastry box and dust it with flour.
2. Beat the eggs and sugar over a pan of hot water till it becomes frothy. Stir in the sifted maida and pineapple essence.
3. Now pour the mixture in the baking tin and bake at 250 degrees F for 20-25 minutes or until it is firm and golden brown. Cool the pastry on a wire tray. Store it in an air-tight tin for at least 2 hours before cutting it horizontally into half.
4. For the icing, beat the cream with icing sugar, pineapple essence, iced water and the beaten egg till it is slightly thick. Spread a little pineapple syrup on the layers of the pastry. Then spread the cream and put small pieces of pineapple on it and cover it with the upper half of the pastry layer.
5. Again sprinkle with the syrup and spread the cream. This time spread the cream thicker than before. Cut the pastry into three long columns and rows - a total of nine pieces.
6. Spread more cream if you wish to make them extra creamy, decorate with cherries and pineapple pieces and serve it at tea or for dessert.
   Serves: 9
   Preparation time: 45-50 minutes