Hong Kong Style Egg Tarts
Hong Kong Style Egg Tarts have a creamy smooth custard filling but are made with a Portuguese style flaky crust.
Servings: 12 tarts
Calories: 289kcal
Equipment
- fine mesh strainer
- cupcake or muffin tins If you have tart pastry tins, even better. There is no need to purchase the special tins. Us what you have on hand.
Ingredients
- 16 oz puff pastry dough
frozen pre-packaged twin pack - spray oil to prevent sticking
- ⅔ cup sugar granulated or sugar alternative
- 1.5 cups water hot
- 9 whole eggs beaten
- 1 cup evaporated milk canned
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- This Chinese egg tart recipe will make 12 to 16 tarts depending on the size of your muffin/cupcake or tart tins.
- Preheat oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C)
- Allow frozen Puff pastry dough to either a) sit out in box at room temperature for 30-40 minutes to thaw out b) remove puff pastry for box and from inner packaging and place in the microwave covered with a towel and microwave for 1 minute.
- Take one sheet of puff pastry dough and lay it flat on a cutting board. Roll out a little thinner. Find a cup or round glass that it is large enough to cut a circle to fill your tarts a with some overlapping. (Yes... we used a martini glass) Spray your pan with a little cooking spray to prevent sticking. Place the cut puff pastry circle into the tart or cupcake tin. Press puff pastry dough into the bottom and sides so that the tin is covered. Chill puff pastry lined tarts tins in the refrigerator while you make the egg custard mixture. Depending on the size of your muffin/cupcake or tart tins, you will have enough puff pastry dough and custard filling to make up to 16 tarts. Roll out the extra dough scraps and cut to make more tart shells.
- Combine the white sugar and water in a medium saucepan, and bring to a boil, until the sugar is dissolved. (You can also do this step in the microwave) Remove from heat and cool to room temperature. To save time, you can place the dissolved sugar water mixture in the freezer to cool off quicker.
- Crack all 9 whole eggs and place both yolks and egg whites in a medium bowl. Dispose of the shells. Beat eggs well.
- Whisk into the cooled sugar mixture into the beaten egg mixture. Stir in the evaporated milk and vanilla and mix well.Strain the filling through a fine mesh strainer. (Straining is a really important step so don't skip this step or your egg tarts will not be as consistently smooth and creamy as you wished.) If you do not have a fine mesh strainer, you can line a colander with cheese cloth and strain. Fill the tart shells only about 75% filled. Do not overfill as the egg custard filling will puff during the baking process.
- Bake for 15 to 17 minutes in the preheated oven middle rack. The filling may slightly puffed. The custard filling will still be slightly jiggly and this is okay. The goal is that a toothpick should stay upright when placed into the tart. In addition a toothpick should come relatively clean when it is cooked.
- Cool for about 5-10 minutes in pan and then remove from cupcake pan or tart pan.
- Enjoy Hong Kong Style Egg Tarts while still warm with tea and friends.
Video
Notes
Best eaten on the same day and slightly warm but can be kept refrigerated in a sealed container for up to 3 days.
Baked Chinese egg tarts can be reheated in the oven or toaster oven at 350 degrees F (176 degrees C) for about 5 to 7 minutes or just until toasty warm. Do not reheat pastries in the microwave or you will end up with a soggy puff pastry crust.
In addition, you can reheat your egg tart in the air fryer. Set the air fryer to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C) and heat for 3 to 4 minutes or until toasty warm in the center.
Hint for Success
- Strain your egg custard mixture with a fine mesh strainer BEFORE placing in the mini tart shells. This ensures that creamy texture.
- Don’t over fill your tart shells with the egg custard or you will have a HUGE mess on your hands. You may have a little extra filling left over and that is okay.
- In addition, do not over bake. Hong Kong egg tarts will be a little jiggly when you take them out of the oven. However, if you place a toothpick to check it should be able to stand up by itself.
- There is no need to prebake your puff pastry tarts. Everything goes in the oven uncooked together.
- Eat while warm.
- Perfect sweet ending for dim sum, yum cha or Chinese New Year dinner.
Nutrition
Serving: 1egg tart | Calories: 289kcal | Carbohydrates: 29g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 16g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 9g | Cholesterol: 9mg | Sodium: 119mg | Potassium: 89mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 12g | Vitamin A: 55IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 61mg | Iron: 1mg