Hong Kong Egg Tarts (Dan Tat)

Method

1. Make the pastry: whisk the flour and salt together in a bowl. Add the softened butter and rub or beat it into the flour with a fork, your fingertips, or a stand mixer’s paddle on low speed, until the mixture looks like a smooth, slightly crumbly dough with no dry patches. Add the ice water a teaspoon at a time, mixing just until the dough holds together when pressed; it should be soft but not sticky, and you may not need all of it.
2. Turn the dough out, knead very briefly into a smooth ball, and flatten into a disc. Wrap and chill for 20 minutes, just long enough to firm up so it is easy to handle.
3. Divide the dough into 12 pieces of about 30 g each. Press each piece into the base and up the sides of a muffin cup or tart tin, trimming any excess at the rim, and prick the base a few times with a fork. Set the tins on a tray and chill for 1 hour; this relaxes the gluten so the shells hold their shape in the oven instead of shrinking or slumping.
4. Meanwhile, make the custard: stir the sugar into the just-boiled water until fully dissolved, then set aside to cool to room temperature. This step matters, hot syrup poured straight onto egg will start to cook it.
5. In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs gently, just enough to break them up, without beating in much air. Stir in the evaporated milk and vanilla. Pour in the cooled sugar water in a thin stream, stirring gently rather than whisking, to avoid building up a foam.
6. Strain the custard through a fine sieve into a jug, pressing through any bits of egg. Strain a second time if you want a glassy, bubble-free top.
7. Heat the oven to 200°C. Pour the custard into the chilled shells, filling almost to the rim and leaving about 3 mm of headroom, since it puffs slightly as it bakes.
8. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes at 200°C, then lower the heat to 180°C without opening the door for long, and continue baking for 12 to 15 minutes more, until the custard is just set with a faint tremor in the center and a toothpick pushed into the middle stands upright on its own. Total baking time is around 20 to 25 minutes.
9. Cool the tarts in their tins for 5 minutes, then transfer to a rack. Hong Kong egg tarts are best eaten warm, within a couple of hours of baking.

Notes

• This shortcrust bakes together with the raw custard rather than being blind-baked first, which is standard for this style of tart and keeps the base tender rather than crisp. If you prefer a firmer bottom, dock the shells well and bake them alone for 5 minutes at 200°C before filling, though that is not traditional here.
• Do not skip cooling the sugar syrup before combining it with the eggs, and do not whisk the custard vigorously; both steps are what keep the top smooth and glassy instead of foamy or pitted with bubbles.
• The dough can be made a day ahead and kept refrigerated, wrapped, until you are ready to line the tins.
• Best served warm the day they are baked. Leftovers keep loosely covered at room temperature for a few hours, or refrigerated airtight for up to 2 days; warm gently in a low oven, around 150°C for a few minutes, to re-crisp the pastry and take the chill off the custard. These do not freeze well, the custard tends to weep and turn watery on thawing.

Sources Consulted

• The Woks of Life, “Hong Kong Egg Tarts (Chinese Dim Sum/Pastry)”
• Christine’s Recipes, “Egg Tarts (Hong Kong Style)”