Here’s an easy homemade egg tart recipe. Simply make the custard filling, pour it into premade egg tart shells, and bake. That’s it.
The egg tarts comes out perfectly. It’s not too sweet and not too rich. It’s the perfect Asian dessert to enjoy with coffee or tea.
One package of premade pie crusts makes 18 egg tarts. That’s a lot of tarts. I did the math, and it’s so much cheaper than getting them at the bakery. Plus, the whole batch comes together in about 30 minutes. Win!
What is a Hong Kong Style Egg Tart?
A Hong Kong-style egg tart is a flaky pastry filled with smooth, creamy egg custard. You’ll often find these in dim sum restaurants or Chinatown bakeries. They have a light, buttery crust made of either shortcrust or puff pastry, paired with a mildly sweet custard.
Unlike Portuguese egg tarts, which have a caramelized top, Hong Kong-style egg tarts have a smooth, glossy, and silky surface.
What You Will Need
- Pastry Dough – You can use store-bought puff pastry or make your own shortcrust pastry. For this recipe, I’m using store-bought premade egg tart shells to make the process much quicker. You can find these premade shells in the freezer aisle at Asian supermarkets.
- Whole Eggs – We are using both the whites and yolks for the base of the custard filling. I’m using eggs straight from the fridge. No need to bring them to room temperature.
- Milk and Water – Creates a light and silky custard. I’m using fresh whole milk. You can sub with canned evaporated milk.
- Sugar – I’m using granulated white cane sugar as the sweetener.
- Vanilla Extract – For that needed amazing aroma.
How to Make Egg Tarts
Step 1: Make the custard
In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs and sugar until fully combined. Gradually add the hot water to help dissolve the sugar, then whisk in the milk and vanilla extract until smooth.
Strain the mixture through a fine mesh strainer for a silky, lump-free custard.
Step 2: Preheat and Prepare the shells
Preheat the oven to 400°F. Arrange the frozen egg tart shells on a half sheet baking pan, leaving some space between them.
Pour the strained custard into the tart shells, filling about 80% full (about 1/8 inch from the top).
Step 3: Bake
Load the tray onto the middle rack and bake for 25 minutes, or until the custard is set but still slightly wobbly in the center. Avoid overbaking to keep the filling silky.
Optionally, for more color on the crust (not the custard), move the tray to the top rack and switch to broil at 400°F for 2-3 minutes. Watch carefully for your desired color as it can burn fast. Let the egg tarts cool slightly before removing them from the molds. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Storage & Reheating
Egg tarts are best eaten the same day. If needed, store them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 day or refrigerate for up to 3 days.
Reheat in a toaster oven or air fryer for best results at 350°F for about 3 minutes. Avoid microwaving if possible because the crust will soften.
Related Recipes
If you enjoy this recipe, check out these other popular related recipes:
Hong Kong Style Egg Tarts (Dan Tat)
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 18 egg tarts 1x
Description
Bakery-style Hong Kong egg tarts in about 30 minutes with store-bought tart shells. Flaky crust, smooth custard, lightly sweet, these are the perfect desserts to enjoy with coffee or tea.
Ingredients
Custard Filling
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar (about 70g)
- 1 cup hot water
- 4 large eggs
- 1/2 cup whole milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Make the custard: In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together four eggs and 1/3 cup sugar until fully combined. Gradually add 1 cup hot water to help dissolve the sugar, then whisk in 1/2 cup milk and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract until smooth. Strain the mixture through a fine mesh strainer.
- Preheat and Prepare the shells: Preheat the oven to 400°F. Arrange the frozen egg tart shells (about 18) on a half sheet pan, leaving some space between them. Pour the strained custard into the tart shells, filling about 80% full (about 1/8 inch from the top).
- Bake: Load the tray onto the middle rack and bake for 25 minutes, or until the custard is set but still slightly wobbly in the center. Avoid overbaking to keep the filling silky. Optionally, for more color on the crust (not the custard), move the tray to the top rack and switch to broil at 400°F for 2-3 minutes. Watch carefully for your desired color as it can burn fast. Let the egg tarts cool slightly before removing them from the molds. Serve warm or at room temperature.
