What Makes Egg Tarts So Wonderfully Unique?
For sure, egg tarts have a really unique flavor. If you like egg custard then you will love egg tarts, where the egg custard is cooked in delicious crumbly pastry cases. You can serve egg tarts hot from the oven, warm or cold, and they make a wonderful snack or dessert. A simple recipe for egg tarts enables you to make these wonderful little snacks, and you will want to make them again and again.
The History of Egg Tarts
Custard tarts were introduced in Hong Kong in the 1940s and then they began to appear in western cafes and bakeries. Mini egg tarts were popular during the 1950s and 1960s and they are now a common dim sum dish in Chinese restaurants. The ones served in restaurants are richer than the ones sold in bakeries.
It is thought that egg tarts might have started out as English custard tarts, since Hong Kong used to be a British colony and adopted some British foods. Other people believe they evolved from Portuguese egg tart pastries, or “pasteles de nata” as they are also known, which are very similar.
Hong Kong style egg tarts can be made with puff pastry or shortcrust pastry, and they can be made with lard or butter. Either kind is filled with rich custard which is not as creamy as the English or Portuguese style tarts, but with a stronger egg flavor.
Making a simple recipe for egg tarts means you can have something rich, delicious, and satisfying after your meal. No other dessert recipe combines egg custard with pastry in such a perfect way, to make bite-sized treats, so if you have never tasted them you are sure to be delighted when you finally do.
Do You Like Egg Tarts?
A Simple Recipe for Egg Tarts
Egg tarts are found in Hong Kong, Malaysia, Singapore, and most other Asian countries. This delicious snack was introduced to Hong Kong in the 1940s and today egg tarts can be plain or flavored with chocolate, green tea, honey, ginger, milk, or other ingredients. The crispy crust is filled with soft egg custard, and these are delicious when served hot from the oven.
This is a simple recipe for egg tarts so home baking newbies will be able to manage it with ease. Although the recipe calls for four eggs, you should use five if they are very small or three if they are very large. You will probably have some of the filling left over, since it is difficult to beat the ingredients if you are using a smaller quantity.
The crusts should not be too thin or too thick. If they are too thin the crusts will crumble, and if they are too thick they will overwhelm the moist filling. There is enough dough to make eight crusts so once you have molded them to the muffin cups they should be the right thickness. Another tip is to add a pan of water to one of the other racks in the oven. This will produce steam and cook the egg tarts better so the top does not go hard and the crust edges do not burn.
- 1 egg
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1½ sticks unsalted butter
- ⅔ cup powdered sugar
- 4 eggs
- 1½ cups white sugar
- Pinch of salt
- 2½ fl oz water
- 1¼ cups milk
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- Melt the butter for a minute or 2 in the microwave.
- Gently stir in the flour, egg, salt and powdered sugar with a fork.
- Knead the dough with your hands until it becomes pliable and soft.
- Form 8 small balls with the dough and put them in muffin cups.
- Press them down to form pastry cups and trim off any excess.
- Combine all the filling ingredients, beating them with a whisk.
- The egg yolk needs to bind with the other ingredients and the mixture will be pale yellow when it is whisked enough.
- Pour the egg custard filling into a measuring cup.
- Pour the egg custard into the pastry cups, filling them ¾ full.
- Bake for 45 minutes or until the crusts are golden brown.
- Put a toothpick into the custard.
- If the toothpick can stand on its own the egg tarts are done.
- If not, bake them for another few minutes and try the toothpick test again.
- Let the egg tarts cool for 5 minutes, and then remove them from the muffin cups.
- Serve hot, warm, or chilled, and keep the egg tarts in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Although this is a simple recipe for egg tarts, the results are really impressive. Perhaps you have tried egg tarts before or it could be that you are just investigating new dessert recipes. These wonderful little treats are nicely balanced, and the crisp, dry crust contrasts perfectly with the rich, smooth egg custard filling. You can serve these with a cup of coffee as a late afternoon treat, and you will find that kids and adults love these, so double the recipe if you want to make extra. You can see from the photo how tempting they look, and many people find that one is never enough!
This Is A Simple Recipe For Egg Tarts So Home Baking Newbies Will Be Able To Manage It
How to Make Egg Tarts Like a Pro Chef
Making a simple recipe for egg tarts is even simpler if you use a few handy tips. Egg custard tarts are light and delicate. If you want to make the best crust, then swap the butter for lard. This will produce a flakier, lighter crust. Sieve your flour before using it, to remove any lumps.
Make sure you have a big enough surface to roll your dough out. Since the dough is delicate, it does not do well if you repeatedly roll and shape it, so use a large piece of wax paper if you do not have a big enough cutting board. The dough should be slightly moist, so add more melted butter if it is too dry or more flour if it is too wet.
Making a Perfect Egg Custard Filling
Lightly beat the eggs when making the filling, stirring them lightly with a fork or a pair of chopsticks. Try not to make any bubbles, since this will affect the texture of the finished egg custard. It is a good idea to get all the ingredients to room temperature before you start making the custard, because this will stop the filling from separating.
You can also scald the milk before adding the other custard ingredients, because this helps to hold it all together too. You can use milk or cream, depending how rich you want the filling. To get a very yellow custard, add a couple of drops of yellow food coloring.
Fill the dough cases ¾ full, else the egg custard might bubble over and ruin the look of your egg tarts. A simple recipe for egg tarts should be baked at 350 degrees F. Some recipes suggest a higher temperature but the crusts might burn so it is best to stick to 350 degrees F for great results.
Videos for “Hong Kong Egg Tarts!”
Step by Step Instructions for Making Traditional Egg Tarts
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