Name: Easy Chinese Egg Tarts
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 40 min
Cuisine: Chinese
Ingredients: 1 sheet of puff pastry dough (thawed); Coconut flour for dusting; 1/3 cup sugar; 2/3 cup warm water; 2 large eggs, plus 1 egg yolk; 1/3 cup evaporated milk; ½ teaspoon vanilla

Three time's a charm! That's how many attempts it took to get this recipe for Chinese Egg Tarts perfect! It's really easy, trust me. I used store-bought puff pastry dough to create these classic Chinese custard treats. Such a time-saver!

Chinese egg custard tarts on a cooling rack

You will find these sweet treats at most Chinese restaurants, especially during the 'Chinese New Year.' Make this dessert even more fancy by caramelizing the custard tops with a propane torch before serving. Think of these delicious tarts like an Asian crème brûlée!

These gorgeous Chinese Egg Tarts have a sweet egg custard middle encased in puff pastry dough. They cook up quickly and should be served warm.

These beautiful egg tarts are one of the more recognizable dim sum dishes offered in a Chinese dim sum house. They come in many variations, but this recipe is the most popular variety. I had my first Chinese egg tart in San Francisco's Chinatown and it left a lasting, sweet impression! 💛

How to make perfect Chinese egg tarts:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place the rack in lower half of the oven.
In a glass measuring cup, dissolve the sugar with the warm water and set aside to get to room temperature.
Sprinkle a pastry board with coconut flour. Roll out the puff pastry dough onto the board, to about 14×14. Use a 4-inch cookie cutter to make cut-outs of 10-12 circles. Gently press each circle into a tart tray or individual tart tins, coming up a little over the rim. (If using a tart tray, make sure to spray with cooking or baking spray first.) Put in the oven for no more than 5-6 minutes, until just slightly golden brown. Remove the tray from oven and set aside.
Meanwhile, whisk the eggs, egg yolk, evaporated milk, vanilla, and sugar water until well combined. Strain the mixture through a sieve or fine strainer into large bowl with a pouring spout. Carefully pour the egg mixture into each pastry shell just below the shell’s rim.
Bake at 400 degrees F for 10-15 minutes, or until the custard is firm when pressed and the pastry cups are nicely golden brown. Gently remove the tarts from the tart pan and serve while warm.

pastry dough on a pastry mat with cutouts and a rolling pin on the side

We made these with store-bought puff pastry dough that you roll out to about 14x14 inches. Of course, you can make your own puff pastry dough if you desire. Use a 4-inch cookie cutter to make the dough cut-outs.

a red silicone tart pan with dough inserted sitting on top of a floured board

You can use a tart tray, like this silicone tart tray. Or, you can buy the individual tart tins. I would not recommend using a muffin tray because it is too deep for these egg tarts.

History of Chinese Egg Tarts:

(Reference: Wikipedia)

The egg tart is believed to have its origins in the Chinese city of Guangzhou.
Chefs from Guangzhou arrived in Hong Kong bringing in tart recipes since Guangzhou had heavy European influence as a major port. The chefs in Guangzhou turned it into egg tarts by filling egg custards in the middle instead, a similar way to make simmered eggs with milk.
Chinese egg tarts have two main types of crusts: shortcrust pastry or puff pastry, traditionally made with lard rather than butter or shortening.They are both filled with a rich custard that is much eggier and less creamy than English custard tarts.
Today, egg tarts are one of the more recognizable dim sum dishes offered in a dim sum house.

Easy Chinese Egg Tarts are like little sunshine custards! 🌞 They are so beautiful, and taste divine!

TIPS & TRICKS:

Using store-bought puff pastry dough is the easy route here! Why give yourself extra work? You'll thank me later! 😘
Get yourself a shallow tart tray. I used a silicone tart tray that made it easy to pop out when it was done, but a regular tart tray will work just fine too! You definitely don't want anything too deep (like a muffin tray).
A 4-inch cookie cutter works the best with these egg tarts. I used a scalloped edge but it's not necessary.
Open the oven slightly if the custard begins to puff up too much during the cooking process. It only takes 10 to 15 minutes to cook so keep an eye on these tarts!

WANT MORE?

If you like this recipe, you’re going to love my Pumpkin Manju Sweets! Easy to make, they taste like mini pumpkin pies!

Update Notes: This post was originally published on April 9, 2018, but was republished with slight text changes and additions, like step by step instructions and tips in April 2019.