Hong Kong Egg Tarts {Dan Tat 蛋挞 - A Complete Guide}

Instructions

Make the puff pastry dough

OIL DOUGH: With a stand mixer, paddle the flour and salt for 10 seconds. Add the shortening (or butter). Paddle at low speed until the dough comes together, about 30 seconds - the oil dough will be very soft and sticky.
Scrape out the dough with a dough scraper and place between two sheets of cling wrap. Gently flatted with a rolling pin to level the surface. Bring in the edges with a scraper or ruler until you get a neat rectangle measuring 5 " x 6" / 13 cm x 15 cm. Wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
WATER DOUGH: In the same mixer bowl (no need to wash), paddle the flour, salt, and sugar at low speed for about 10 seconds. Add the cold butter and paddle until the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs.
In a separate bowl, lightly beat the egg yolk and iced water. Switch to a dough hook. At low speed, add the egg mixture to the flour mixture one tablespoon at a time.
Once the water dough comes together in a rough ball, scoop it out onto a lightly floured surface. Gently knead a few rounds until the dough is smooth. Flatten into a disc and wrap with cling wrap. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.
What to look out for: Chill the water dough only long enough to firm up the butter but still remain pliable - not stiff and not overly soft either. It is important to have both the oil dough and the water dough at a similar consistency.
On a flour-dusted worktop or baking sheet, roll out the water dough to a rectangle 8" x 11” / 20 cm x 27 cm (about the size of an A4 paper).
Picture the dough with three equal sections or thirds: a top, middle, and bottom. Place the oil dough sheet over the top and middle sections of the water dough.
Fold the bottom section over the middle section. Fold the top section over the middle section, like folding a letter. Press the edges firmly to seal. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.
What to look out for: Roll out the dough to the stated dimensions to ensure the dough is of the ideal thickness. It will also be easier to work with the dough at this size. If the dough gets too sticky, lightly dust the rolling pin and worktop with flour as needed.

Make the egg custard filling:

Mix custard powder with 1½ teaspoons of water. Add beaten egg and vanilla extract. Mix until well combined. Strain the mixture.
In a small saucepan, combine sugar, condensed milk, and water. Cook over low heat to dissolve the sugar - do not let the mixture get hot.
Gradually pour the warm milk mixture into the egg mixture, stirring with a spoon as you go. Return the mixture to the saucepan. Cook over low heat for 3 minutes, stirring all the time. Set aside to cool.

Laminate the dough (total of 3 rolls and folds):

FIRST FOLD: Place the dough with the short side facing you, seam side up. With a lightly floured rolling pin, press lightly on the dough at intervals to stretch out the dough.
What to look out for: Before rolling out the chilled dough, make sure the dough is cool but pliable - not stiff but not overly soft. If it is too cold, the butter will be hard and can break or separate when you press and roll it out. If the dough is stiff, let it sit at room temperature until it becomes more malleable.
Gently roll to the original rectangle size measuring 8” x 11” / 20 cm x 27 cm. Fold the bottom third over the middle third. Fold the top third over the middle, like folding a letter. Press the narrow edges to seal. THIS COMPLETES THE FIRST FOLD. Refrigerator for 30 minutes.
SECOND AND THIRD FOLDS: Repeat the above step twice to complete the second and third folds. Always start with the short side facing you and the seam side up. Refrigerate for 30 minutes after completing each fold.

Cut out rounds and line the tart moulds

Grease the tart moulds with a pastry brush. On a lightly floured worktop, roll out the dough to 3 mm / 0.1" thickness. With a fluted cookie cutter, cut rounds slightly larger than your tart moulds.
Press the cut round into the mould until the sides are 1-2 mm past the rim (the pastry will shrink and lose a bit of height as it bakes). Note: If trapped bubbles appear at the base of the pastry, prick with a sharp metal skewer.
Stack the left-over dough pieces in a flat pile but do not knead. Roll out the dough to 3 mm / 0.1" thickness. Cut as many rounds as you can and line the tart moulds. Repeat with any remaining dough as needed.
Place the lined tart moulds on a baking sheet (DO NOT fill with the custard mixture at this point). Refrigerate for 15 minutes or until cold to the touch.

Fill and bake

While the tart moulds chill, position the rack in the middle of the oven. preheat the oven (top and bottom heating mode) to 200°C (392°F).
Give the custard mixture a good stir before filling the tart shells (the condensed milk tends to settle to the bottom). Spoon the custard mixture into the pastry shells until half full (depending on the size of tart moulds used, this may be between 1½ - 2 tablespoons).
Note: If using a measuring cup with a pouring spout, pour from a position as close as possible to the tart shells. This will help minimize air bubbles. Prick any bubbles on the surface with a toothpick or metal skewer.
What to look out for: Do not over fill, otherwise the custard will rise and overflow during baking. This effectively seals the edges of the tart shell and prevents it from separating into its delicate layers. Too much filling could also cause the tart shell to bake up soft or soggy.
Bake for 15 minutes, then reduce the oven temperature to 135°C (275°F). Continue baking for another 7 - 10 minutes or until the custard sets and the tart shells turn golden brown. The custard is cooked when the sides are set and only the centre jiggles. Test with a toothpick inserted into the centre - when the toothpick stays upright, the custard is done.
What to look out for: The custard will swell and dome the longer it bakes - this is normal. However, it is also a sign that the custard is getting very hot so test the custard for doneness. Once the egg tarts are out of the oven, the custard will dip down as it cools.
Remove from the oven and let tarts cool in the moulds until firm enough to transfer to a wire rack. Meanwhile, if you have another batch of egg tarts to bake, remember to bring the oven temperature back up to 200°C (392°F). Set cooled egg tarts in paper cups or muffin liners. Serve hot or warm.
Note: The tart crust and custard will be too fragile to handle when fresh out of the oven so they need to cool in the moulds for about 5 - 7 minutes.

Hong Kong Egg Tarts {Dan Tat 蛋挞 - A Complete Guide}

Ingredients

For the oil dough

For the water dough

For the egg custard filling

Instructions

Make the puff pastry dough

Make the egg custard filling:

Laminate the dough (total of 3 rolls and folds):

Cut out rounds and line the tart moulds

Fill and bake

Notes

Nutrition Information: