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Hong Kong-Style Butter Crust Egg Tarts

groups20 servingsspeedMediumcountertopsPrep: 190 minsskilletCook: 28 minsscheduleTotal: 218 minsoutdoor_grillBaked
Allergens:warningGlutenwarningDairywarningEggs

Allergen labels are AI-generated and may be incomplete or wrong. If you have a food allergy, always verify every ingredient yourself.

Recipe details are AI-generated from the video and may contain errors — for reference only.

skilletInstruction

15 Steps Total

schedulePrepare in advance

  • circleEgg custard mixture needs to be prepared and chilled for at least 2 hours in advance2h
01
Preparation
00:01:33
warningStay safe

Be extremely careful when pouring hot water to prevent splashing and skin scalding.

  • Pour 300ml hot water into a large glass bowl
  • Add 112g castor sugar
  • Whisk until fully dissolved into a clear syrup
  • Set aside to cool completely
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Watch out

The sugar syrup must be completely cooled before mixing with eggs

otherwise hot syrup will cook and scramble the eggs

Ingredients:hot water (300 ml)castor sugar (112 g)
Tools:mixing bowlwhisk
02
Preparation
00:01:59
  • Crack 4 eggs into a small bowl individually to check freshness before transferring to a glass bowl
  • Whisk gently until whites and yolks are fully combined with no visible white streaks or excess bubbles
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Watch out

Whisk eggs gently without vigorous whipping, otherwise excess air bubbles will make the baked egg tart surface uneven.

Ingredients:eggs (for custard) (4 piece)
Tools:small bowlwhisk
03
Active Cooking
00:02:52
  • Add 80ml evaporated milk, 1 tsp vanilla extract, and beaten 4 eggs into the cooled sugar syrup
  • Gently stir with a whisk until thoroughly combined into a uniform pale yellow custard liquid
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Watch out

Keep stirring gently and do not over-mix to prevent generating foam.

Ingredients:evaporated milk (80 ml)vanilla extract (1 tsp)eggs (for custard)hot watercastor sugar
Tools:whisk
04
Active Cooking
00:03:25
  • Place a fine strainer over a clean bowl and pour the egg custard through
  • Repeat sifting 3 times to remove unmixed egg whites and air bubbles
  • Use a spatula to gently skim off remaining bubbles from the surface
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Watch out

Must sift 3 full times

un-sifted egg bits and bubbles will cause holes and ruin the smooth texture of the baked custard

Ingredients:eggs (for custard)
Tools:colander/strainerspatula
05
Waiting Time
00:04:16
  • Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours (or overnight) to rest, settle small air bubbles, and stabilize the custard structure
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Watch out

Ensure plastic wrap seals the bowl completely

otherwise the custard will absorb fridge odors

Ingredients:eggs (for custard)
Tools:plastic wrap
06
Preparation
00:04:26
  • Place a sieve over a large mixing bowl
  • Add 333g all-purpose flour, 93g icing sugar, and 1/2 tsp salt
  • Sift everything into the bowl and whisk until evenly blended and lump-free
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Watch out

Icing sugar easily clumps and must be sifted

unsifted sugar lumps will melt and leave holes in the baked pastry crust

Ingredients:All purpose flour (333 g)icing sugar (93 g)Salt (0.5 tsp)
Tools:sievemixing bowl
07
Preparation
00:05:08
warningStay safe

Use proper grip and knife technique when dicing cold hard butter to prevent slipping and finger cuts.

  • Cut 233g cold unsalted butter directly from the fridge into small cubes
  • Add to the flour bowl, toss with a spatula to coat, then use fingertips to quickly rub the butter into the flour until it resembles coarse breadcrumbs with no large butter lumps
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Watch out

Butter must be rock cold! Use only fingertips and avoid palm contact to prevent body heat from melting the butter, which ruins pastry flakiness.

Ingredients:Unsalted butter (233 g)All purpose flouricing sugarSalt
Tools:chef knifecutting boardspatula
08
Active Cooking
00:06:24
  • Add 1/2 beaten egg and 1.5 tsp vanilla extract to the center of the crumbly mixture
  • Gently fold and press using a silicone spatula until crumbs gather into a smooth dough with no dry flour streaks
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Watch out

Do not knead like bread dough! Over-working will develop gluten, causing tart shells to shrink excessively, crack, and lose flakiness.

Ingredients:egg (for crust) (0.5 piece)vanilla extract (1.5 tsp)All purpose flourUnsalted butter
Tools:spatula
09
Preparation
00:06:55
  • Place the dough onto baking paper, cover with plastic wrap, and flatten slightly with the palm
  • Roll out with a rolling pin over the wrap into a sheet about 0.5cm thick
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Watch out

Rolling between paper and wrap prevents sticking without adding extra flour

roll with even pressure to maintain a uniform 0.5cm thickness

Ingredients:All purpose flour
Tools:Baking paperplastic wraprolling pin
10
Waiting Time
00:07:26
  • Transfer the rolled dough sheet on the parchment paper into the fridge to chill for 30 minutes
  • This relaxes gluten and re-hardens the butter for cutting and shaping
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Watch out

Do not skip chilling

shaping unchilled warm dough will stick, tear, and shrink badly during baking

Ingredients:All purpose flour
Tools:Baking paper
11
Active Cooking
00:07:38
  • Peel off top wrap
  • Use an 8cm round cutter to punch out dough discs
  • Place a disc into an aluminium tart mould (8cm top, 4.5cm base, 2cm height), cover with plastic wrap, then stack a second empty tart mould on top aligned with the grooves
  • Press down firmly to mold the pastry evenly into shape
  • Remove top mould and wrap, then neaten the rim
  • Repeat for 20 tart shells
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Watch out

Ensure top and bottom tart moulds are aligned with grooves! Press firmly until the pastry squeezes slightly above the rim for even shell thickness.

Ingredients:All purpose flour
Tools:3-inch round cuttertart mouldplastic wrap
12
Waiting Time
00:09:49
  • Arrange the shaped tart shells on a baking tray and chill in the fridge for 10 minutes to re-solidify the butter inside the dough
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Watch out

Second chilling right before filling is critical to prevent dough from melting and shrinking in the hot oven.

Ingredients:All purpose flour
Tools:baking tray
13
Active Cooking
00:10:00
  • Gently stir the chilled egg custard to redistribute settled solids, then pour into a measuring cup with a spout
  • Fill each chilled tart shell to 80% full (do not overfill)
  • Use a spoon edge to scoop off tiny surface air bubbles
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Watch out

Do NOT fill past 80%! Custard expands during baking

overfilling will cause spillover, sticking, and soggy pastry

Ingredients:eggs (for custard)
Tools:measuring pitcherspoon
14
Active Cooking
00:10:55
  • Preheat oven to 190°C (top & bottom heat, no fan)
  • Place tray on the middle rack and bake for 20 minutes
  • Turn off heat completely and leave door closed to stew in residual heat for 5-10 minutes
local_fire_departmentBake 190°C 20 mins, turn off and stew 5-10 mins
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Watch out

Do not open oven door immediately after baking! Sudden temperature drop will cause puffed custard to collapse and wrinkle.

Ingredients:eggs (for custard)
Tools:oven
15
Waiting Time
00:11:17
warningStay safe

Baking tray and metal moulds are extremely hot after baking; wear heavy oven mitts to avoid severe burns.

  • Wear thick oven mitts to remove the baking tray
  • Insert a toothpick vertically into the center of a tart: if it stands upright unsupported, the custard is cooked
  • Cool for 15 minutes, then gently loosen aluminium moulds to unmould
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Watch out

Must cool for 15 minutes before unmoulding! Fresh hot crusts are soft and will break easily if handled too soon.

Ingredients:eggs (for custard)
Tools:oven mittstoothpick

groceryAll Ingredients

hot water300 ml
castor sugar112 g
eggs (for custard)4 piece
evaporated milk80 ml
vanilla extract2.5 tsp
All purpose flour333 g
icing sugar93 g
Salt0.5 tsp
Unsalted butter233 g
egg (for crust)0.5 piece

blenderAll Tools Needed

mixing bowlwhisksmall bowlspatulacolander/strainerplastic wrapsievechef knifecutting boardrolling pinBaking papertart mould3-inch round cutterbaking traymeasuring pitcherspoonoventoothpickoven mitts