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    Home » Recipes » Desserts

    Easy Chinese Egg Tarts

    January 31, 2022 · Published: April 28, 2019 By: Asian Caucasian 6 Comments

    Jump to Recipe
    Chinese egg custard tarts
    Chinese egg tarts on a cooling rack
    Chinese egg tarts cooling on a baking rack

    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.

    Chinese egg tarts on a cooling rack

    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:

    1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place the rack in lower half of the oven.
    2. In a glass measuring cup, dissolve the sugar with the warm water and set aside to get to room temperature.
    3. 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.
    4. 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.
    5. 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.
    Chinese egg tarts on a cooling rack

    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.

    Print
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    Chinese egg custard tarts on a cooling rack

    Easy Chinese Egg Tarts

    Print Recipe
    Pin Recipe

    These gorgeous Chinese Egg Tarts have a sweet egg custard middle encased in puff pastry dough. Think of these delicious tarts like an Asian crème brûlée!

    • Total Time: 40 mins
    • Yield: 10-12 1x

    Ingredients

    Units Scale
    • 1 sheet of puff pastry dough (thawed)
    • Coconut flour for dusting
    • ⅓ cup sugar
    • ⅔ cup warm water
    • 2 large eggs, plus 1 egg yolk
    • ⅓ cup evaporated milk
    • ½ teaspoon vanilla

    Instructions

    1. 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.
    2. Sprinkle a pastry board with coconut flour. Roll out the puff pastry dough onto the board, to about 14x14. Use a 4-inch cookie cutter to make cut-outs of 10-12 circles. Gently press each circle into a tart tray or 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.
    3. 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.
    4. Bake at 400 degrees 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.

    Notes

    • 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.

    Adapted from Little Sweet Baker

    • Author: Asian Caucasian
    • Prep Time: 20 mins
    • Cook Time: 20 mins
    • Category: Dessert
    • Method: Oven
    • Cuisine: Chinese

    Nutrition

    • Serving Size: 1 Tart
    • Calories: 158
    • Sugar: 6.3 g
    • Sodium: 71.5 mg
    • Fat: 8.9 g
    • Carbohydrates: 16.4 g
    • Protein: 3.1 g
    • Cholesterol: 31 mg

    Keywords: egg tarts, Chinese egg tarts, Asian dessert

    Did you make this recipe?

    Tag @AsianCaucasianBlog on Instagram and hashtag  #AsianCaucasianEats

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Cathy

      February 12, 2022 at 6:41 pm

      This was a big fail for me. How do you make the cups without the puff pastry puffing up into balls? I even pricked the bottoms before the first bake and still had to push the pastry down. Then when I added the custard mixture and returned them to the oven, they puffed up again and all of the custard mix was pushed out.

      Reply
      • Asian Caucasian

        February 14, 2022 at 10:41 am

        Hi Cathy! Did you press the puff pastry down into the cups? Remember, you are only baking the puff pastry for a few minutes before you add the custard. Also, use a tart tray vs. a cupcake tray. Let me know if this helps and you have success!

        Reply
    2. Asian Caucasian

      February 19, 2019 at 7:18 pm

      Hi Anne! You could definitely make these in advance and even freeze them. They are served either warm or even at room temperature. The pumpkin cookies can also be made ahead, and you can freeze them too! Good luck with your party, happy to help!

      Reply
    3. Anne Thorning-Holst

      February 19, 2019 at 4:22 pm

      Would you be able to make these tarts beforehand and then reheat them before serving them. I am going to held a party for 60 people with a Asian theme. But I don't think it is possible to make so many just before serving them. I wanted to make a small plate with 2-3 small Asian desserts. Fortune cookies are one of them and this one looked so good. I also looked at the pumpkin cookies. Could they maybe be refrigerated and taken out the day the are going to be served? Sorry for the long note🙈. I hope you can help me. Best regards from Anne, Denmark

      Reply
    4. Megan @ Megunprocessed

      April 12, 2018 at 2:07 pm

      I've never had egg tarts like this before. Looks tasty!

      Reply
      • Asian Caucasian

        April 12, 2018 at 6:18 pm

        They are so easy to make! You must try this, Megan. They taste delicious too!

        Reply

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