1. Egg Tart
Jarrett Chong

2. Egg Tart History
In the 1940s, the egg tart traditionally named “Dan Tat”, came to Hong Kong from a Portuguese island called Macau. The pie crust was originated from the English while only the egg mixture placed inside the pie crust was from the Portuguese. But before hand in the 1920s, chefs in Guangzhou took the idea of fruit tarts and instead of filling pie crusts with fruit, they filled it with eggs and milk. Then had migrated to Hong Kong in the 1940s which brought us this style of egg tarts.

3. Why I Chose to Make Egg Tarts
At first I thought of making fortune cookies, almond cookies, chow mien and a couple of other dishes but I thought some of these dishes were either too hard or too easy. I found that egg tarts were kind of the middle ground in which I’ve baked pastries before but not in this way. As you have seen, this are slightly modified egg tarts as in which they are larger due to the crust tin I had baked them in. Though not traditional size, it still fits the definition of an egg tart.

4. Pie Crust Recipe(Egg Tart Shells)
Ingredients
2 1/2 Cups flour
1/2 Cup butter
1/2 Cup shortening
pinch of salt
ice cold water add teaspoon by teaspoon until right consistency has formed
Instructions
Place flour, salt, butter and shortening in bowl.
Use your hands to combine ingredients until small pebbles form
Add cold water a teaspoon at a time until the dough begins to hold together and form a ball.
Do not over handle the dough. Dough should be soft, moist but not wet.
Divide dough evenly.
Place ball of dough onto wax paper and flatten. Place another piece of wax paper over the top and roll out the pastry into a circle.
Remove the top layer of wax paper and place pastry into pie tin. Remove other piece of wax paper and press pastry into pan. Use your fingers to crimp the edge of the crust.
Freeze for 30 minutes to firm up the pastry.
Prick the bottom of crust to prevent bubbling during baking.

5. Egg Tart Filling Recipe
Ingredients for the custard filling:
* 4 medium eggs, beaten (reserve 2 tablespoons for your pastry dough)
* 3/4 cup hot water
* 6 Tbsp. sugar
* 1/8 teaspoon salt (pinch of salt)
* 1/4 cup milk
* Dash of vanilla
Directions:
Pre-heat the oven to 400˚F / 200˚C
Make custard filling:
* Melt sugar and salt with hot water. Mix until dissolved then let cool.
* Whisk eggs and then take two tablespoons out for the pastry dough. Stir in sugar water and also evaporated milk (if adding vanilla, add now). Stir and combine everything well.
* Strain the filling to ensure no lumps. Chill in the refrigerator while you make your pastry.
* Baking the egg tart:
* Pour the custard filling to the shells until it is about 80% full. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes until the surface becomes golden brown and a toothpick can stand in the egg tart.
* Cool down for several minutes and then take the egg tarts out of the pan. Serve while still warm.

6. Egg Tart Process

7. Egg Tart Process

8. Egg Tart Process