First off, my apologies to all of you poor souls who don't have a person who regularly brings you sweets from Taiwan. Cos you're really missing out.
Luckily, I have the lovely and amazing Kairu, who drops by my store from time to time, often with sweet and exotic treats. She's the one who introduced me to nougat from Sugar and Spice, and now, my latest obsession, an unassuming little treat simply called Pineapple Cake.
As Kairu presented me with a couple of them, she said "the first ingredient is butter, so you know it's good".
How right you are, dear Kairu. These flaky, buttery little parcels contain a sweet surprise within: a sticky, sweet, and perfectly complementary pineapple filling. There's nothing complicated about these sweets--but that is part of their charm. Or, as Mr. Spy put it, "they're like a much better version of Fig Newtons".
Perhaps these sweet little morsels don't solely warrant a trip to Taiwan--but if you or a friend are headed that way, they're worth seeking out.
The ones we sampled were branded as being from Sunny Hills, but the website didn't seem to work. However, you can find a great roundup of information, as well as a recipe to make them at home, on Zester Daily.