These egg tarts use store-bought puff pastry shells and a no-cook custard made with coconut cream, almond milk, and egg yolks — no laminated dough, no stovetop tempering. The whole batch of 12 is done in under an hour, and the broiler finish gives you those dark caramelised spots that actually make them look like the real thing.
The short version of why this works
Two things carry this recipe. First, the cornstarch. It stabilises the custard without any stovetop cooking, so you can whisk everything cold and pour it straight into the shells — the oven does the setting work for you. Second, straining the custard through a fine-mesh sieve before you pour it removes lumps and any stringy bits from the yolks. Skip that step and you get a custard that looks fine going in but sets with a slightly grainy texture. The coconut cream pulls double duty here: it adds enough fat to give the custard body, and its mild sweetness means the coconut sugar doesn’t have to work as hard.
Leftovers and make-ahead
Egg tarts are best eaten warm, but leftovers keep in the fridge for up to 3 days in an airtight container. To reheat, put them in a 350°F / 175°C oven for 8–10 minutes — this crisps the pastry back up and warms the custard through without overcooking it. A microwave works in a pinch but softens the pastry. You can make the custard mixture up to 24 hours ahead and keep it covered in the fridge; give it a good whisk before straining and pouring, since the cornstarch can settle. The baked shells can also be pre-baked a day ahead and stored at room temperature, loosely covered.
Mistakes to avoid
- Overfilling the shells. It’s tempting to go right to the top, but custard puffs slightly as it bakes. Overfilled tarts bubble over, stick to the tin, and make a mess that’s hard to clean. Stop at three-quarters full.
- Using full-fat coconut milk instead of coconut cream. Coconut milk has a higher water content and produces a looser custard that may not set properly. If coconut cream isn’t available, scoop the thick solid layer from a chilled can of full-fat coconut milk and use that instead.
- Pulling the tarts too early. A custard that looks completely set in the oven will often be rubbery once cooled. You want the centre to wobble like jelly when you gently shake the pan — not slosh like liquid, but not rigid either.
- Walking away during the broil. Sixty seconds under a hot broiler can take the tops from pale to burnt. Stay at the oven door and pull the tarts the moment you see dark spots forming — skip the garnish idea of powdered sugar on top entirely, it’s not worth the extra step and it just dissolves.
- Swapping almond milk for a higher-fat milk alternative without adjusting. Oat milk works as a substitute but is slightly thicker and sweeter; reduce the coconut sugar by about a teaspoon to compensate. Regular dairy milk also works at a 1:1 swap if dairy isn’t a concern.
Macau Style Egg Tarts
Ingredients
- 12 shells frozen puff pastry shells thawed according to package directions
- ½ cup unsweetened almond milk
- ½ cup coconut cream
- 3 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ cup coconut sugar
- 6 large egg yolks
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F / 200°C (205°C fan-forced).
- Lightly grease a standard 12-well muffin tin with oil or cooking spray. Press one puff pastry shell into each well, making sure it sits snugly against the sides and bottom. Bake for 5-10 minutes, or until the pastry turns slightly golden. Remove from the oven and allow to cool in the pan while you prepare the custard.
- Separate egg yolks and place in a bowl of a stand mixer or large bowl.
- Add the coconut sugar and cornstarch to the egg yolks, and whisk together until the sugar is fully dissolved and the mixture is smooth.
- Add vanilla, almond milk, coconut cream, and whisk to combine, making sure there are no lumps. Whisk until it achieves a thin batter consistency.
- Pour the custard through a fine-mesh sieve into a jug for easy pouring. Fill each tart shell about three-quarters full — leave roughly 3-4mm of pastry showing above the custard to prevent overflow.
- Bake at 400°F / 200°C for 20-25 minutes. The tarts are done when the custard is set around the edges but still has the slightest wobble in the very centre — it will firm up as it cools. If the custard is still visibly liquid when you jiggle the pan, bake for another 3-5 minutes.
- For the signature caramelised top, switch the oven to broil (high) and place the muffin tin on the top rack, about 6 inches (15cm) from the heating element. Broil for 1-2 minutes, watching constantly — the tops can go from golden to burnt in seconds. Remove as soon as you see dark caramelised spots forming.
- Remove the tin from the oven and let cool to touch; they will deflate a bit.
- Serve immediately while still warm.
Nutrition
Frequently asked questions
Can I use a different sweetener instead of coconut sugar?
Yes — regular white granulated sugar works as a direct 1:1 swap and gives a slightly more neutral flavour. Brown sugar also works and adds a faint molasses note; just make sure it dissolves fully when you whisk it with the yolks.
My puff pastry shells shrank a lot during the blind bake — is that normal?
Some shrinkage is normal with puff pastry, but significant shrinking usually means the shells weren’t pressed firmly enough against the sides of the muffin tin before baking. Press them in snugly and make sure there are no air pockets underneath — this gives the pastry something to hold onto as it puffs.
Can I make these without a muffin tin?
A standard 12-well muffin tin is the right tool here because it holds the pastry shells in shape while the custard sets. If you don’t have one, a silicone muffin tray placed on a flat baking sheet will work, though the shells may spread slightly and the sides won’t be as defined.
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