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These Hong Kong style dan tats, or egg custard tarts, pair silky smooth, eggy custard with flaky, crispy pastry. #dantat #chinese #dessert #custard

Hong Kong Style Dan Tats (Egg Tarts)

These Hong Kong style dan tats (egg tarts) feature a super flaky, buttery crust filled with plenty of silky custard.

Course Dessert
Cuisine Chinese
Keyword cantonese, custard, dan tat, egg tarts, hong kong, shortbread cookies
Prep Time 1 hour 15 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 40 minutes
Servings 14 dan tats
Calories 207 kcal

Ingredients

  • 1 ½ cups all purpose flour
  • ⅛ teaspoon kosher salt
  • ½ cup + 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
  • 14 tablespoons unsalted butter room temperature but not softened
  • 3 eggs room temperature
  • ½ cup evaporated milk room temperature
  • ¾ teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

  1. In a bowl, combine the flour, salt and 1 tablespoon sugar. Add the butter and break it up with your fingers, making sure to keep little chunks of butter in the dough. Add 2 tablespoons cold water and bring the dough together (our dough was already clumped together without water). Add a tiny bit more water only if necessary. Refrigerate for 20 minutes.

  2. Turn out the dough onto a lightly floured board, knead gently, and form into a rectangle. Roll the dough away from you (not back and forth). Work it as little as possible.
  3. Fold the dough into thirds like a letter. Give the dough a quarter turn (left or right) and roll out again. Fold the same way as before, and chill for 30 minutes.
  4. Make the filling. Dissolve ½ cup sugar 1 cup hot water; cool to room temperature. Mix the eggs and evaporated milk; whisk in the sugar water and vanilla. Strain through a fine mesh strainer; yes, you do have to do this.
  5. Roll out the dough and cut circles to fit a 12-cup standard muffin pan lined with cupcake liners. I like the custard/crust ratio of this size, but a smaller muffin pan also works. Press the dough into the liners and fill each shell with custard until it barely reaches the edge of the crust. Immediately bake at 400F for 15 minutes. Reduce the temperature to 350F and bake for 12 minutes, until filling is just set. Eat at any temperature (though maybe not hot; it's better when it sets up a little).

Recipe Notes

From The Woks of Life.