Cantonese Custard Tarts

Cantonese Egg Tarts

 By Christine’s Recipes

Prep time: 40 mins

Cook time: 15 mins

Yield: Makes about 14-16 egg tarts (3-Inch Wide 1-1/2-Inch Deep Tart Tin)

 

Ingredients of crust:

• 225 gm plain flour
• 125 gm butter
• 55 gm icing sugar
• 1 egg, whisked
• a dash vanilla extract

Ingredients of custard::

• 3 eggs
• 110 gm caster sugar
• 225 gm hot water
• 85 gm evaporated milk
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Method (making crust):

• Place butter at room temperature until softened. Cream the butter and sugar with an electric mixer over medium speed until the mixture is smooth, fluffy and light in color.
• Add in whisked egg, half at a time, beat over low speed. Add vanilla extract, mix well.
• Sift in flour in two batches, scraping down the sides of the bowl between additions with a spatula, and make sure all ingredients combine well. Knead into dough. (see picture)
• Roll out the dough to a 1/2 cm thickness. Cut dough with a cookie cutter that is just a bit smaller than your tart tin in size. Line dough in the middle of tart tins, one by one. Lightly press the dough with your thumbs, starting from the bottom then up to the sides. While pressing the dough, turn the tart tin clockwise/anti-clockwise in order to make an even tart shell. Trim away any excess dough.

Method (making custard):

• Add sugar into hot water, mix until completely dissolved.
• Whisk egg with evaporated milk. Pour in sugar water. Mix well.
• Sift egg mixture to get rid of any foam into a tea pot. Carefully pour egg mixture into each tart shell.

Method (baking tarts):

• Preheat oven to 200C. Position rack in lower third of oven. Bake tarts for 10 to 15 minutes until the edges are lightly brown.
• Lower the heat to 180C. Keep an eye on them. Once you see the custard being puffed up a bit, pull the oven door open about 2 to 3 inches. Bake for another 10 to 15 minutes until the custard is cooked through. Just insert a toothpick into the custard. If it stands on its own, it’s done.

 

http://en.christinesrecipes.com/2009/03/cantonese-egg-tarts-recipe.html

Check ebay for tart tins

TIPS

The crust is easier to work with if you place in the fridge for a while, especially if it is a hot day.

The trick to this recipe seems to be in the cooking.  You do need to know your oven, I cook my tarts on the bottom shelf and my oven has an option for heat from bottom only, this seems to work well.

It has been suggested that normal milk instead of evaporated milk would make a smoother egg filling, I will be trying this next time I make it.  I will report back once I have !

Photo from Susan Chanmeister