Cheats-Way Egg Tarts (aka Dan Tat) Hong Kong Style

Cheats-Way Egg Tarts (aka Dan Tat) Hong Kong Style

• June 26, 2015

If you guys follow me on Instagram, you'll know I've been churning out egg tarts (and macarons) like there's no tomorrow. I've been promising this super easy recipe for a while, so apologies to those who have been waiting.

My very first attempt at egg tarts back in 2010/2011 were terrible. The pastry puffed up like crazy, resulting in the egg mixture slipping right underneath. I ended up with upside-down egg puffs rather than the HK style egg tarts! Thankfully, I've got a few tricks that ensure this never happens again.

You might be wondering why it's called super quick cheats way egg tarts. Well from start to finish, you'll be able to make these in approx 30 minutes thanks to the handy shop bought puff pastry sheets. I don't know about you, but spending 3 hours making puff pastry from scratch gives me arm ache just thinking about it. 

The puff pastry sheets are brilliant. Just unroll, cut out your round shapes and push them into pre-greased muffin trays. Add your egg mixture, put in the oven for 15 minutes and you have freshly baked egg tarts. 

Just make sure you have the following tools and you're good to go.
*x12 muffin tray 
*8cm round fluted cookie cutter (use a mug if you don't have one)
*Spray oil (it makes life a lot easier!)

Ingredients:
260ml milk (I used semi-skimmed)
95g caster sugar
3 medium eggs
3 tsp evaporated milk
3 drops vanilla extract 
Jus Rol or supermarket own brand puff pastry sheets (bring to room temperature)
Spray oil for greasing

Directions:
1. Preheat your oven to 220 degrees or 200 degrees for electric fan ovens.
2. Heat milk and sugar in a saucepan until sugar has melted. No need to bring milk to boiling point, as long as the sugar has melted, it's fine. Allow the milk/sugar mixture to cool down. 
3. Whisk 3 eggs for approx 1 minute with a whisk. Add 3 teaspoon evaporated milk and 3 drops of vanilla extract and whisk briefly to incorporate the mixture. Do not over mix.
4. Unroll puff pastry sheets and using the cookie cutter or a mug, cut out 12 circles.
5. Grease your muffin tray with spray oil, or oil soaked paper towel. Press the pastry circles into the muffin hole and ensure you press the pastry firmly against the tray. Push down and around the edges, this ensures the pastry doesn't over-puff.
6. Prick base of pastry with a fork a few times. This also helps with any over puffing.
7. The milk/sugar mixture should be cool now. Pour this into the egg mixture and whisk to incorporate. 
8. Use a sieve to strain the mixture twice. This allows for a silky egg tart filling.
9. Fill each pastry cup with the egg mixture. Fill as close to the top as possible without overfilling. 
10. Put the tray into the middle rack of the oven and bake for 17 mins.
11. You should still have some left over egg mixture and pastry scraps. You could reform the pastry scraps and make round 2.
12. Enjoy your delicious Hong Kong style cheats way egg tart with a cuppa tea!

(The egg tart filling recipe is from Wantanmien on Youtube, video in Chinese) 

I would love to know if you try out this recipe. Leave me a comment below =)