Posted on 12th Jul 2025

Tasty Chinese Egg Tarts

Hong Kong Style Dan Tat

Tasty Chinese Egg Tarts are a true Hong Kong bakery classic. Unlike Portuguese egg tarts, which caramelise on top, these traditional Cantonese egg tarts should have a smooth, glossy yellow surface with no browning. The custard should be silky, lightly set and melt in the mouth, with flaky puff pastry underneath.

This Tasty Chinese Egg Tart recipe uses palm sugar syrup for a deeper, more complex sweetness. The key techniques are reducing the syrup correctly, removing excess air from the egg mixture and carefully controlling oven temperature to prevent caramelisation while ensuring the pastry cooks through.

Cuisine

Chinese

Time

50 mins

Servings

people

Ingredients

Ready rolled puff pastry

The Syrup
180g palm sugar
300g water
The Filling
4 eggs
60ml water

Method

PREPARATION

To make the syrup, combine palm sugar and water in a saucepan. Bring to a gentle simmer and reduce by roughly half until you have about 225g of syrup with a light dripping consistency. Allow to cool completely before using.
Lightly beat the eggs with 60ml water. Do not overwhisk as too much air will create bubbles during baking. Strain the mixture through a sieve to remove any stringy egg white.
Once the syrup has cooled, mix it into the egg mixture until evenly combined. Strain again and remove any visible surface bubbles to ensure a smooth custard.
Roll the puff pastry slightly thinner so the base is not too heavy. Cut circles to fit your tart tins or muffin tray. Press each disc into the tin starting from the centre and working outwards to remove air pockets. Run your thumbs around the edge and gently pinch the rim to form a slight lip.

COOKING

Preheat the oven to 230°C with a baking tray inside to heat up. Fill each pastry case about two thirds full with custard mixture. Carefully transfer onto the hot tray and place into the oven. Immediately reduce the temperature to 210°C and bake for 8 minutes.
After 8 minutes, place a cool tray on the top shelf above the tarts to prevent the custard from browning. Reduce the oven to 190°C and bake for a further 8 to 10 minutes until the pastry is cooked and the custard is just set. The filling should dome slightly in the oven and gently sink back as it cools.

Allow to cool slightly before removing from tins.

School of Wok Tips

• Always cool the syrup fully before mixing with eggs to avoid scrambling.
• Strain the custard mixture and remove bubbles for a silky finish.
• Start at high heat to cook the pastry base, then lower to gently set the custard.
• Do not overfill. Two thirds full prevents overflow and keeps the surface smooth.

FAQs

Why shouldn’t the top caramelise?
Hong Kong style egg tarts should have a smooth yellow surface. Caramelisation changes both the texture and flavour.

Why strain the egg mixture?
Straining removes stringy egg whites and excess air, creating a melt-in-the-mouth custard.

How do I know when the custard is set?
The custard will dome slightly in the oven and then settle. It should wobble gently but not look liquid in the centre.