Baking

Egg Custard Tarts (Silky, Flaky, Hong Kong Style)

3 min

Cut the cold butter into the flour and sugar until it looks like coarse crumbs, no further, since overworked dough is what turns these shells tough instead of short. The custard wants the same restraint. Warm the milk and cream only to a steam, then pour it into the beaten eggs in a thin stream while you whisk, or you'll cook the eggs into scrambled flecks before they ever see the oven. Pull the tarts when the centers still wobble; carryover heat finishes the set as they cool.

By Nora Calloway

A little backstory

These are dan tat, the egg tart you find in nearly every Hong Kong bakery and dim sum cart, and the story goes that they grew out of Guangzhou bakeries in the 1920s riffing on the British custard tart, then took firmer root in Hong Kong under colonial-era cafe culture. The cookie-style shortcrust version here is the bakery standard, distinct from the flakier puff-pastry style you also see around the city.

Egg custard tarts are Hong Kong’s greatest pastry. Fight me.

Buttery, flaky, melt-in-your-mouth pastry. Silky, wobbly, vanilla-scented custard. One bite and you’re transported to a dim sum cart. Easier than you think. Worth every minute.

Step-by-Step Instructions

1 1

Make the Pastry

In a bowl, mix flour and powdered sugar. Cut in cold butter until mixture looks like coarse crumbs.

Add egg yolk and cold water. Mix until dough forms.

Wrap in plastic. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.

2 2

Make the Custard

In a bowl, whisk eggs and sugar until pale.

Warm milk and cream in a pot until just steaming (don’t boil).

Slowly pour warm milk into egg mixture, whisking constantly.

Stir in vanilla. Strain through a fine sieve.

3 3

Line the Tins

Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C).

Roll dough to ⅛-inch thickness. Cut circles larger than muffin cups.

Press dough into muffin tin. Prick bottoms with a fork.

4 4

Fill and Bake

Pour custard into pastry shells, filling about 80% full.

Bake for 15–18 minutes until custard is set but still slightly jiggly in center.

5 5

Cool and Serve

Cool in pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a rack.

Serve warm or at room temperature with tea.

Summary

Prep Time: 25 minutes + chilling | Cook Time: 18 minutes | Total Time: ~1.5 hours

Yield: 12 tarts

Difficulty: Medium (pastry takes practice)

Storage Notes

How to Store:

Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Bring to room temperature before serving.

How to Reheat:

Oven at 300°F for 5–7 minutes to re-crisp pastry. Microwave ruins the flakiness—don’t.

Pro Tip:

Straining the custard is not optional. It removes egg bits and guarantees that silky, smooth texture.

The Ingredients

Everything you need.

Prep

25 minutes + chilling

Cook

18 minutes

Total

~1.5 hours

Yield

12 tarts

Ingredients

Makes 12 tarts.

For the Pastry:

1¾ cups (220g) all-purpose flour
½ cup (113g) cold unsalted butter, cubed
¼ cup (50g) powdered sugar
1 egg yolk
2–3 tablespoons cold water

For the Custard Filling:

3 eggs
½ cup (100g) sugar
¾ cup (180ml) whole milk
½ cup (120ml) heavy cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Special equipment: 12-cup muffin tin or tartlet pans.

Instructions

1
Make the Pastry. Make the Pastry. In a bowl, mix flour and powdered sugar. Cut in cold butter until mixture looks like coarse crumbs. Add egg yolk and cold water. Mix until dough forms. Wrap in plastic. Refrigerate for 30 minutes. 2 2
2
Make the Custard. Make the Custard. In a bowl, whisk eggs and sugar until pale. Warm milk and cream in a pot until just steaming (don’t boil). Slowly pour warm milk into egg mixture, whisking constantly. Stir in vanilla. Strain through a fine sieve. 3 3
3
Line the Tins. Line the Tins. Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Roll dough to ⅛-inch thickness. Cut circles larger than muffin cups. Press dough into muffin tin. Prick bottoms with a fork. 4 4
4
Fill and Bake. Fill and Bake. Pour custard into pastry shells, filling about 80% full. Bake for 15–18 minutes until custard is set but still slightly jiggly in center. 5 5
5
Cool and Serve. Cool and Serve. Cool in pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a rack. Serve warm or at room temperature with tea

Swaps & Substitutions

Whole milk → swap in more heavy cream or half-and-half for a richer set; skim makes the custard watery and loose.
Heavy cream → evaporated milk works and is actually traditional in many HK recipes; the custard sets a touch firmer.
Unsalted butter → salted butter is fine in the pastry; just skip any added salt, since the flavor shifts only slightly.
Dairy-free → full-fat oat or coconut milk plus a vegan block butter will set, though the custard reads a little softer and the pastry less short.
Powdered sugar in the pastry → granulated works but dissolves less evenly, so you may get faint grit; pulse it finer if you can.
Vanilla extract → a split vanilla bean steeped in the warm milk is a clear upgrade, or leave it out for the plainer classic profile.

Questions & Answers

Why did my custard turn out bubbly or pocked on top?

That's overheated or over-whisked custard trapping air. Whisk the eggs and sugar gently, strain the mix through a fine sieve before filling, and keep the oven at 375F rather than running it hotter.

How do I know when they're done?

The custard should be set around the edges but still slightly jiggly in the very center, around 15 to 18 minutes. It firms up as it cools, so a fully solid center in the oven means they'll overcook.

Can I make the dough ahead?

Yes. The pastry keeps wrapped in the fridge for up to two days, or freeze it up to a month. Let it sit out a few minutes before rolling so it doesn't crack.

How should I store the baked tarts?

They're best the day they're made. Keep leftovers covered in the fridge up to two days and warm them briefly in a low oven; the microwave makes the pastry soggy.

Why is my pastry tough instead of short and crumbly?

Usually too much water or too much mixing. Add the cold water a tablespoon at a time and stop as soon as the dough holds together, then chill it the full 30 minutes before rolling.

Egg Custard Tarts (Silky, Flaky, Hong Kong Style)