Chinese Egg Tarts

Homemade Chinese egg tarts are not difficult to make at home. All you need is some basic baking ingredients, tartlet molds, and some time to assemble the crust and filling in the molds. They remind me of the egg tarts found in Chinese bakeries.

I used to make Chinese egg tarts a long time ago, with varying degrees of success. The type of egg tarts I like are hard to find (solid pie/tart type crust), and a recipe similar to the ones I like are even harder to come by.

But then I found a recipe for Hong Kong-style egg tarts on Allrecipes that looked promising. I liked how the crust was similar to a tart crust (hard rather than layered and flaky). I made some big changes to the recipe based on my previous egg tart experiences and many user reviews.

Ingredients

• Powdered sugar (confectioners’ sugar)
• All-purpose flour
• Butter
• Large eggs
• Vanilla extract
• Granulated sugar
• Water
• Evaporated milk

Powdered sugar: This is used to make the crust and not only sweetens it but creates that melt-in-your-mouth feeling when you take a bite.

Eggs: You will need one egg for the crust and five eggs for the filling.

Evaporated milk: This helps create the custardy texture in the filling. Evaporated milk is a more shelf-stable concentrated version of regular milk, and there really isn’t a substitute. Don’t confuse it with sweetened condensed milk – they are not interchangeable.

When I bought these cute Norpro Tartlet Tins*, I just knew that I would be making some fancy-shaped egg tarts with them and they worked great with this recipe. This recipe makes enough for 36 egg tarts.

*Some of the links contained in this post are affiliate links. Much like referral codes, this means I earn a small commission if you purchase a product I referred (at no extra charge to you).

Recipe Tips

This recipe is pretty easy, but it does take time to fit the dough into the tart molds, so plan ahead and take your time.

The dough for the crust is easy to mix together in a bowl with a fork. Once you’ve gathered it into a ball, it should be slightly moist for the best results. If it’s too dry, you can add a little more butter. If it’s too buttery, you can add more flour.

When you line the molds with the crust dough, I like to press the dough so it goes just a little above the sides. The dough will slightly shrink when it bakes, so this will ensure your filling doesn’t end up above the edges.

More Chinese Desserts

• Taiwanese/Chinese Pineapple Cakes
• Chinese New Year Cake
• Chinese Sponge Cake
• Snow Skin Mooncakes

Chinese Egg Tarts

Servings: 36 tarts

Prep Time: 25 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes minutes

Total Time: 45 minutes minutes

Unlike other pie or tart crusts, which are often flaky and light in texture, Chinese egg tarts have a crust that is more dense and hard, which I love. I have a hard time finding them at bakeries so I learned how to make them myself. You will need some little tart molds and less than 30 minutes of hands-on prep time to make your own.

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Ingredients

For the Crust

• 1 cup confectioners' sugar
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup butter
• 1 egg beaten
• 1 dash vanilla extract

For the Filling

• 1/3 cup white sugar
• 3/4 cups water
• 5 eggs beaten
• 1 dash vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup evaporated milk

Instructions

• Make the crust: In a medium bowl, combine the confectioners' sugar and flour. Mix in the butter with a fork until it forms small crumbs. Add the egg and vanilla and stir until the mixture forms a dough. The dough should be slightly moist so add more butter if it is too dry, or more flour if the dough seems greasy. Shape the dough into 1 1/2-inch balls and press the balls into the tart molds so that they cover the bottoms of the molds evenly, and goes up slighter higher than the sides.
• Make the filling: Preheat the oven to 450° F (230°C). In a large bowl, combine the white sugar, water, eggs, vanilla, and milk until the mixture is smooth.  Pour it into tart molds.
• Bake the tarts for 15 to 20 minutes or until the edges of the crust are golden brown and the filling has puffed up a little bit.

The nutrition information provided are only estimates based on an online nutritional calculator. I am not a certified nutritionist. Please consult a professional nutritionist or doctor for accurate information and any dietary restrictions and concerns you may have.

Did you make this recipe?I'd love to see it! Mention @KirbieCravings and tag #kirbiecravings!