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1
Wrap four 3 1/4-inch or ten 2 1/4-inch tart rings with aluminum foil to cover the bottoms, bringing the foil up around the outside of each ring, and place the rings on a baking sheet.
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2
Put the sugar in a heavy skillet.
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3
Sprinkle with a tablespoon or two of cool water and a pinch of salt.
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4
Turn the heat to high.
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5
Leave the pan alone until the sugar starts to color, then pick up the pan and roll the sugar in it so it colors evenly.
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6
Cook until the caramel is dark amber.
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7
Immediately pour into the tart rings, carefully tilting them (hold on to the outer foil layer) to make an even layer on the bottom.
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8
Cut the top and bottom off the pineapple.
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9
Cut off the peel and the eyes.
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10
Slice into vertical quarters and cut out the core.
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11
Cut one of the quarters into 1/2-inch-wide slices, then into pieces that will fit into the tart rings.
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12
Use one piece of pineapple for each of the smaller rings and two for the larger.
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13
Heat the oven to 375F or 350F on convection.
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14
Cut the butter into a few pieces and put it with the sugar into the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the paddle.
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15
Beat at medium-high speed until light and fluffy.
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16
Beat in the egg and then the yolks, one at a time, scraping the bowl often.
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17
Whisk the flour, cornmeal, baking powder, and salt together.
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18
Add to the wet ingredients and mix at low speed until you have a smooth batter, scraping the bowl as needed.
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19
Fill a pastry bag with the batter and pipe over the pineapple, filling the rings three-quarters full.
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20
If you are making the larger tarts, pipe in some batter, add another layer of pineapple, then finish filling with batter.
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21
Bake until a tester comes out clean, about 8 minutes for the small cakes and 10 for the large, rotating the pan halfway through baking.
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22
Let cool briefly.
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23
Run a knife around the cakes, then turn them over and peel off the aluminum and take off the rings.
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24
Put a cake upside down on a dessert plate and garnish with some candied ginger, if desired, and sauce.
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25
Repeat for each serving.
