Egg Tart or Portuguese Egg Tarts is a type of tart filled with egg custard baked on a short crust or puff pastry, it is very popular in Asia particularly Hong Kong. This dish might be seen around Asia and other parts of the world but it has its Portuguese roots. History suggests that these tarts evolved from “pastel de nata”, a traditional Portuguese custard pastry made with a crème brulee type filling in a puff pastry. It was created by the Catholic Sisters in Mosteiro dos Jerónimos around 2 centuries ago. It then became popular out of the convent and was sold first in a pastry shop called Casa Pastéis de Belém in 1837. It was then introduced to Hong Kong in the 1940′s by the Cha Chaan Tengs most probably through Macau which was a Portuguese colony. Western cafes and bakeries in Hong Kong soon started to serve it to compete with yum cha restaurants. It then proved to be popular and now it became a common dim sum dish.
I love this mini treats, in fact I think I can eat half a dozen of them easily in one sitting, they taste good and real easy to make specially now short crust pastry is readily available in supermarkets. If you haven’t tried it, I strongly suggest especially when this is listed as number 16 on CNN Go’s 2011 World’s 50 most delicious foods.
Ingredients
2 x 400g packets, short crust pastry
2/3 cup white sugar
1 1/2 cups hot water
9 eggs, beaten
1 cup evaporated milk
drops of vanilla extract
Method
1. Pinch some dough from the ready-made pastry then shape into small balls roughly 1.5 to 2 inch in diameter, flatten it with hands or rolling pin then press on tart moulds and goes up higher than the sides. Using a knife scrape off the edges so the dough had the same height of the moulds. Do it with the remaining dough then set aside.
2. Combine hot water and sugar, mix well until all of the sugar melts. Set aside and let it cool.
3. Mix together milk, eggs and several drops of vanilla, and then combine with cooled down sugar mixture. Strain mixture through a sieve.
4. Start filling the tart shells then place in a 230C preheated oven and bake for 15-18 minutes or until the pasty becomes golden brown.
5. Remove from oven, let it cool then serve.
Panalo yan idol …. Dami sa macau nyan.
Great post. I love portugese egg tarts but had no idea they are so popular in Hong Kong. Always wanted to make them too but never got around to it, thanks for the inspiration.
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The egg tarts sound so easy to make.
I love an egg custard tart like this Raymund.
Mandy
Oh, when they’re good, they’re among my favorite of the sweet dim sum. These look great!
These have been on my list since I saw them over at Bam’s! Beautiful.
I can’t tell you how good these look!!! You can’t go wrong with egg and puff pantry to begin with, but I LOVE the way you made little tarts! These are awesome!
I love egg custards too, it was always a family favourites but since discovered Portugese tarts with caramel I like them better
when I tried the delicious morsels in Macau I was hooked! thanks for sharing your recipe Raymund.
I can’t believe how easy this recipe is … gotta make it
I have seen these beautiful tarts a couple of times before and every time I tell myself I have to make them soon!
I love custard desserts and these sound perfect in every way
Wow.. you know creme brulee is one of my favorite desserts. I love that these are small so one can have a little taste (or two:D)!
I remember when we made these. Yours browned and bubbled on the tops so nicely! Beautiful!
I can seriously eat half of dozen of these myself. Although my waist probably wouldn’t appreciate it
Nice light on the pictures! I’ve never heard of this dish, but it looks terrific. I love learning about new foods! Thanks for the education.
I don’t think I’ve had an egg tart but they sound awesome! Great photos!
These are my all time favourite tarts! And look! You’ve made so many, surely there is some left for me!
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Oh my. These look incredible Raymund!
These look absolutely fantastic!
they look delicious!
These tarts look gorgeous! And such a fantastic recipe. Yum!
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I just made these and they turned out horribly wrong. Are you sure the recipe calls for 9 eggs, not 9 egg YOLKS?
Yes 9 eggs (yolks and whites), what was the result I am interested in knowing as I’ve done this a lot of times and it never failed me.
I baked them for 22 minutes (that’s how long it took for the egg mixture to not be “runny”) but they did not get to brown or bubble the way yours did. I also think they taste a bit too “eggy” if that makes sense, I’m used to portuguese egg tarts being quite a bit sweeter, too. mine turned out more like Chinese style. Wish I could attach a picture for you. I wonder if our eggs are different in Canada. Anyway, thank you for your reply. I’ve always loved all the other recipes I have followed from you.
Sorry to hear about how it turned out, I guess you are expecting the original Portuguese egg tarts, the ones which taste more like creme caramel. My apologies for the confusion as this was the Hong Kong style ones which is lighter in taste and less sweeter. I hope this confusion wont loose me a reader
, I will change the title to clarify whats posted for future readers.