According to the Malaysia Book of Records, they are the country’s first ever square pineapple tarts. It’s an accolade David Wong, founder and ‘Baker Dave’ himself holds with pride.
Wong has always been a massive fan of the humble pineapple tart, which he believes is not just a delicious treat, but also a symbol of Malaysia’s rich cultural heritage.
“You look at the three big festive seasons in Malaysia – Chinese New Year, Hari Raya Aidilfitri and Deepavali. What treat do you have on all these occasions? Pineapple tarts! They are like a melting pot of culture, loved by all,” Wong quipped in a recent interview with FMT Lifestyle.
Baking has always been in his blood: Wong credits his prowess with pastries to his mother, whom his bakery is named after.
A tailor by trade, Swee Bee was also known to her friends as a great cook and baker. She passed down her pineapple tart recipe to her son in 1982.
Formerly working in property development, Wong got weary of the corporate life, and started his own bakery and café in Sri Hartamas. That was in 2012. There, his mother’s pineapple tarts were on the menu, but only during festive seasons.
Wong eventually decided to take the tarts further, and opened ‘Swee Bee’ in Klang in 2020. He soon realised, however, that he needed to put his own little spin on these pastries to stand out in a crowded market.
Taking a bold step, he made them square, after being inspired by similarly shaped tarts from Taiwan.
“We also put the Chinese character ‘fu’ on many of our tarts for Chinese New Year. This means ‘fortune’. It’s very fitting, because the word for pineapple in Chinese is ‘ong lai’, or ‘here comes good luck,’” Wong said.
His tarts have been certified halal since 2021, and are made without any preservatives. This year, they won Wong a Gold Medal at the Malaysia Culinary World Cup 2023.
Wong said that at first glance, there was nothing particularly extraordinary about his mother’s pineapple tart recipe. What made her treats shine however, was the amount of time and love she infused into her baking, and it was this that he wished to emulate when serving his customers.
“You know how it is with Asian parents, they don’t always openly show emotion. But I can see that my mother is proud of what we’ve done. And I’m proud of what she has passed down. My dad, he always talks of my products to all his friends wherever he goes,” Wong laughed.
Swee Bee by Baker Dave now sells a variety of products, including cheese, pandan and cranberry-flavoured pineapple tarts, espresso almond cookies, carrot cake and more.
“We also have Nanyang kopi, which pairs well with our pineapple tarts. It’s also a callback to how our forefathers traditionally enjoyed their coffee,” Wong said.
Striking packaging is also a key part of the bakery’s appeal. Each of his tarts are individually wrapped, for the purposes of hygiene and ease of sharing, and placed in brightly coloured boxes emblazoned with trivia on local festivals or cultures.
Wong said that response to his pineapple tarts had been positive, with most people enjoying their buttery texture and distinct blend of sweet and sour notes. Demand is particularly good during festive seasons, where they sell up to 5,000 boxes.
While his tarts are completely hand-made now, Wong said he was shifting towards machine crafting, to keep up with increasing demand.
“I have always been proud of being Malaysian, and I think these pineapple tarts are a wonderful way of promoting our local cultures and products. My mother and I hope that everyone will enjoy our simple recipe,” Wong concluded with a smile.
Swee Bee by Baker Dave
4, Persiaran Sultan Ibrahim,
Kawasan 17, 41300 Klang,
Selangor
Visit Swee Bee by Baker Dave’s website. Also follow them on Facebook and Instagram.