Kitchen Recipe Collection
Hong Kong Egg Tarts (Dan Tat)
The crown jewel of Hong Kong bakeries. A perfectly flaky, crumbly shortcrust pastry shell filled with a bright yellow, impossibly silky, wobbly sweet egg custard.
- Prep
- 45 min
- Cook
- 20 min
- Total
- 65 min
- Servings
- 12
- Difficulty
- hard
- Cuisine
- Chinese
Ingredients
Scaled for 12 servings
- Crust: 1.5 cups all-purpose flour, 1/2 cup unsalted butter (cold and cubed), 1/4 cup powdered sugar, 1 egg, 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- Custard: 1/2 cup hot water, 1/3 cup granulated sugar, 3 large eggs (room temp), 1/4 cup evaporated milk, 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
Equipment
- Tartlet molds
- Fine mesh strainer
- Oven
Instructions
- 1
Make Dough
In a food processor, pulse the flour and powdered sugar. Add the cold cubed butter and pulse until it resembles coarse crumbs.
- 2
Form Dough
Add the beaten egg and vanilla. Pulse until it just comes together into a dough. Do not overmix. Wrap in plastic and chill for 30 minutes.
- 3
Make Syrup
Dissolve the granulated sugar completely into the hot water. Let it cool completely to room temperature.
- 4
Make Custard
Whisk the eggs, evaporated milk, and vanilla. Pour in the cooled sugar syrup and whisk gently to combine.
- 5
Strain Custard
Strain the custard mixture through a fine-mesh sieve at least twice. This removes any chalaza or bubbles, ensuring a glass-smooth texture.
- 6
Press Dough
Divide the chilled dough into 12 equal pieces. Press each piece evenly into a tartlet mold, ensuring the edges are slightly thicker than the bottom.
- 7
Chill Shells
Place the molded tart shells in the freezer for 15 minutes. This prevents the pastry from shrinking in the oven.
- 8
Preheat Oven
Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C).
- 9
Fill Shells
Pour the strained custard liquid carefully into the tart shells, filling them about 80% full.
- 10
Bake First Stage
Bake at 400°F for 10-12 minutes until the edges of the pastry start to turn light brown.
- 11
Bake Second Stage
Reduce heat to 350°F (175°C). Prop the oven door open slightly with a wooden spoon (to prevent the custard from puffing up and cracking). Bake for another 5-10 minutes.
- 12
Check and Serve
The tarts are done when a toothpick inserted into the custard stands up on its own. Cool slightly and serve warm.
Cooking Tips
- Straining the custard is non-negotiable. If you skip this, your tarts will be bumpy and scrambled rather than silky and reflective.
- Leaving the oven door cracked during the final bake prevents the custard from boiling, which would cause it to dome up and then collapse into wrinkles.
Variations
- Macau Portuguese Egg Tart (Po Tat): Uses a puff pastry shell instead of shortcrust, and the top of the custard is deliberately scorched/caramelized like crème brûlée.
Nutrition Estimate
210 calories · 4g protein · 22g carbs · 12g fat · 0g fiber per serving
