These egg tarts are so delicious and easy to make! Whether you're a beginner or an experienced baker, you'll find these egg tarts a joy to make and even more enjoyable to eat. I've made this recipe easy to follow, focusing on the Hong Kong style, which is a bit simpler compared to Portuguese egg tarts. Both versions have their charms, but I'd love to hear your thoughts! Do you prefer the creamy richness of Portuguese egg tarts or the smooth, subtle sweetness of Hong Kong style? Drop your preference in the comments! ❤️

Tip #1

Chill Thoroughly: Chilling the dough is crucial for handling and to prevent shrinking during baking. You can chill it overnight for even better results.

Tip #2

Avoid Overmixing: When combining the dough ingredients, mix just until combined to keep the pastry light and flaky.

Tip #3

Monitor Oven Temperature: Keep an eye on the baking temperature and timing. Over-baking can lead to a hard crust and overcooked custard.

Follow Lilac Diaries

Hong Kong Style Egg Tarts

Total Time: 3 hours

Serves: 12 egg tarts

Ingredients

Dough:

250g cake flour (you can use all-purpose flour or you can easily make your own cake flour learn how to make it from scratch https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HvCg5-fSbSM&t=0s)
30g white sugar
1/8 tsp salt (remove if using salted butter)
170g unsalted butter, chilled and cubed
4 tbsp cold water

Egg Custard:

235ml hot water
100g white sugar
120ml evaporated milk, at room temperature
3 large eggs, at room temperature
1 tsp vanilla extract

Preparation

For the Dough:

Mix Dry Ingredients: In a bowl, combine cake flour, sugar, and salt. Mix well.
Incorporate Butter: Add the chilled, cubed butter to the dry ingredients. Using your fingers or a pastry cutter, work the butter into the flour until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs with some pea-sized chunks of butter remaining.
Add Water: Gradually add cold water, starting with 2 tbsp, mixing until the dough begins to come together. Add more water as needed, up to 4 tbsp total, until the dough is cohesive but not sticky.
Fold and Chill: Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface into a 15x40 cm rectangle. Fold in thirds, like a letter, then roll out again and repeat the fold. Wrap the dough in cling film and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

For the Egg Custard:

Prepare Sugar Water: Dissolve the sugar in hot water and allow to cool to room temperature.
Mix Custard: In a separate bowl, whisk the evaporated milk and eggs together, adding one egg at a time. Stir in vanilla extract. Combine with the cooled sugar water, then sift to ensure smoothness. Chill the custard mixture in the fridge.

Assembly and Baking:

Preheat Oven and Prepare Shells: Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Roll out the chilled dough to 3-4 mm thickness and cut into 12 circles using a 10 cm cutter. Press dough circles into tart molds or cupcake pans, forming creases for a decorative edge.
Fill and Bake: Pour the custard into each shell, filling just below the rim. Place in the oven, immediately reduce the temperature to 350°F (180°C), and bake for 25 minutes or until the custard is just set.
Cool: Turn off the oven, leave the door ajar, and let the tarts cool inside for 10 minutes to prevent the custard from sinking. Then, remove from the oven and let cool in the pan for 5 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack.