Chinese Egg Tarts

Golden, glossy, and delicately sweet, these Cantonese-style egg tarts pair a crisp, buttery shell with a silky custard center that trembles when warm. They are the beloved pastry of Hong Kong tea houses, and this home recipe brings them to your kitchen with simple ingredients.

Prep time

20 mins

Cook time

25 mins

Total time

45 mins

Servings

8 tarts

Calories

190

Ingredients

• 1 sheet (about 250 g) store-bought shortcrust pastry, thawed
• 120 ml whole milk
• 120 ml heavy cream
• 80 g granulated sugar
• 3 large eggs, at room temperature
• 1 large egg yolk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon fine salt

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F). Lightly grease a 12-cup muffin tin.
2. Roll out the shortcrust pastry on a floured surface to about 3 mm thick and cut 8 rounds large enough to line the cups with a small overhang.
3. Press the pastry rounds into the tin, prick the bases with a fork, and chill for 10 minutes while you make the filling.
4. Warm the milk, cream, and sugar in a small saucepan over medium-low heat, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Do not let it boil, then remove from the heat.
5. Whisk the eggs and yolk in a bowl, then slowly pour in the warm milk mixture, whisking constantly. Stir in the vanilla and salt, then strain the custard through a fine sieve for a silky texture.
6. Fill each pastry shell about three-quarters full with custard.
7. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until the pastry is golden and the custard is just set with a gentle wobble in the center.
8. Cool the tarts in the tin for 10 minutes, then lift them out and serve warm or at room temperature.

Pro tips

• Straining the custard is the secret to a glassy, bubble-free surface, so never skip the sieve.
• Room-temperature eggs blend smoothly into warm milk without scrambling.
• Fill the shells no more than three-quarters full; the custard puffs slightly as it bakes.
• Chilling the lined tin prevents the pastry from shrinking in the hot oven.

Frequently asked questions