Egg tarts are very popular in Southern China, particularly in Hong Kong and Macau. Egg tarts were introduced to Macau via Portuguese merchants who brought the popular Pastel de Nata recipe with them when they settled in Macau. Over time, this recipe became the famous egg tart that is still eaten in many Asian countries.
It is normal to find egg tarts at bakeries, street vendors and grocery stores.
A custard tart baked in a flaky puff pastry shell is often served straight from the oven. If you buy them cold or wait to eat them, you would traditionally throw them into the oven or a toaster oven to heat up again and brown the top. They tend to be sweet and eggy tasting, but you can find variations on the flavour depending on where you are.
Macau Style Egg Tarts
Print RecipeIngredients
- Puff pastry shells
- 1/2 cup of unsweetened almond milk
- 1/2 cup of coconut cream
- 3 tablespoons of cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon of vanilla
- 1/4 cup of coconut sugar
- 6 egg yolks
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
- Lightly oil or line a standard muffin tin. Place tart shells in each muffin well. Bake for 5-10 minutes, or until they turn slightly golden. Remove and cool in pan.
- Separate egg yolks and place in a bowl of a stand mixer or large bowl.
- Add sugar and cornstarch, and whisk together until sugar is dissolved.
- 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 custard into tart shells, do not pour all the way to the top; leave some tart shell showing.
- Bake for 20-30 minutes. You will know that they are done when you jiggle the pan, and the custard does not move.
- If you want the tops to brown, turn on the broiler and place muffin tin under it for a couple of minutes, but keep an eye on it, or it will burn.
- Remove the tin from the oven and let cool to touch; they will deflate a bit.
- Serve immediately while still warm.
