After hoovering 15 different pineapple tarts — and then some — for our ranking guide, you’d think the last thing we wanted to eat was yet another pineapple tart. “No more tarts for us till next Chinese New Year!” we’d declared at the time, as heartburn crept up on us like an unwelcome visitor during nap time. Yet here we are now, shamelessly shovelling our second slice of Peony Jade’s Layered Pineapple Yuzu Cake-Tart Sablé with Salted Egg Cremeux into our gobs.

We admit we were sceptical of the Overflowing Prosperity Cake-Tart Sablé ($118.88; feeds 10 - 12 pax) offered by the Chinese restaurant stalwart. There’s that unwieldy name for one. And then there’s the fact that most Frankenstein CNY mash-ups by F&B establishments desperate to stand out from the crowd inevitably end up tasting like… how Frankenstein’s foot would probably taste like. The gleaming five-layered confection is about the size of a shorter Lana cake. It’s created thus: golden-brown puff pastry on its crown; beneath it jam cooked with freshly scraped Sarawak pineapples and Japanese yuzu juice. Farther down below is a generous layer of salted egg cremeux (technically a French pudding, but this one contains just butter), yet more pineapple jam, and finally, a hybrid pastry base of sablé (French butter cookie) and traditional tart dough. This isn't quite so much a cake-tart than a complicated, fancy tart or pie. Because there's no actual cake in this, unlike the American piecaken or even our pineapple tart cheesecaken recipe.

Tip: Do not use a sad plastic knife to slice this. That’s what we used at the office and of course it resulted in a flurry of puff pastry flakes and sable crumbs descending upon everything like a sandstorm. The impotent knife also cause the confection's neat layers to meld unglamorously. So for the love of god, use a sharp serrated knife. Despite the crumbly carnage we inflicted on our still-warm Franken cake-tart, it proved irresistible. Imagine a giant pineapple tart that's not only amped up in size, but also texture and flavour. With a crazily lemak, fragrant pastry base that’s part crisp French butter cookie, part melt-in-the-mouth short crust tart pastry. And the richness of this cookie-like bottom is counterpointed by one of the best pineapple jams we’ve had: it’s super zingy with yuzu juice and perfume-y citrus peel. In the middle of it all lies a thick wedge of custard that tastes only very mildly of salted egg — it’s there to temper all those intense flavours with its creaminess and add a gooey kick. But we wish there was less of it and more of that lovely sable pastry

Our other main (if slightly petty) grouse? While the press photo showed adorable little pastry rats adorning the cake-tart, what we got looked more like diabolical anteaters.

The cake-tart is baked to order on your day of collection — and we suggest eating it ASAP. While the Peony Jade folks says it can be refrigerated then lightly baked in the oven to crisp up before serving, we think that pastry, especially, one heaving with so many moist ingredients, is always best eaten fresh. Oh, and do note that this cake-tart is not at all similar to Peony Jade’s regular bite-sized pineapple tarts. Let’s just say it’s like comparing Beyonce’s lush vocals to J. Lo’s reedy one. Yes, the former will cost you more, but the snacking experience will also be far more delicious.

The Overflowing Prosperity Cake-Tart Sablé ($118.88; feeds 10 to 12 pax) is available at Peony Jade’s pop-up stall at Takashimaya B2 (last order date 20 Jan, order three days before collection). Or order by 23 Jan for collection at Peony Jade @ Keppel Club. Tel: 6276-9138. https://peonyjade.com/about/