Cantonese Egg Tarts

A traditional yum cha dessert...

egg tarts

Tart Crust

• 220g plain flour
• 80g caster sugar
• 150g butter, cubed
• 1 egg
• 1/2 tsp salt

Egg Custard Filling

• 1 cup milk
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 pinch salt

Method: Tart Crust

• Sift flour and sugar into mixing bowl.
• Add in butter, egg and salt.
• Mix with hand mixer on lowest speed (or whisk by hand).
• Once dough starts to come together, turn it onto a floured surface and roll it into a log.
• Cut the log into 20 pieces. Roll each piece into a ball and then flatten.
• Place dough into muffin well, press and shape some walls.

Method: Egg Custard Filling

• Pour all custard ingredients into a pot and set over the lowest heat (less than 50 degrees celsius).
• Stir custard in one direction with a whisk until all the sugar has dissolved.
• Sieve the custard through a strainer. Cool and set aside.
• Skim off foam and solid particles.

Method: Assembly

• Preheat oven to 180 degrees celsius.
• Pour custard into tart shells to about 80% full.

ready for baking

• Bake at 180 degrees celsius for 20 minutes.
• Custard should be firm and jelly-like when done.
• Cool for 30 minutes, then lift out of the muffin pan with a butter knife. (We used patty pans, which made it easier to remove).

The original recipe we used made more than four times the amount of filling required, so I have reduced the ingredients to the appropriate ratios. In order to finish off the filling, we used some store made shortcrust pastry. The results were not as great as the homemade tart crust, which was sweeter and more crumbly in texture.