Egg tart is a popular Cantonese Chinese dim sum dessert, and it’s also commonly sold in Chinese-style bakeries. It has a base crust filled with sweet egg custard. You’ll find many variations of egg tarts, especially in the crust and the texture of the custard. There are two common types of crust—one with a thin biscuit-like texture, and the other with a flaky, layered pastry texture. As for the filling, some are light and smooth, while others are more creamy.
This is my favourite egg tart recipe. The egg tarts are similar to the ones served at dim sum restaurants in Malaysia. The method is very simple—I used a one-time bake method where the crust and the filling are baked together. I learned this technique from a Chinese pastry chef on YouTube.
As for the texture of the crust and filling: the crust is a thin biscuit-type—not crumbly, but with a nice biscuit bite to it. I’d like to highlight that it’s not the flaky, buttery type like those used in fruit tarts. The egg custard filling is light and smooth, made without milk—just water, sugar, and eggs.
Why you’ll love this recipe?
Just so delicious – The biscuit base in light, thin and have a nice bite. The custard filling is smooth and sweet. Taste so delicious together.
Quick, simple method – I used a one-time bake method—the crust and the filling are baked together. I learned this method from one of the Chinese Pastry Chefs on YouTube.
If you love this Egg Tart Recipe, you might also like my Steamed Custard Bun Recipe.
Cooking Tips for Egg Tart Recipe:
Bake at high heat –
Oven has to be well preheated at 250°C. It takes about 20 minutes. In my video, I preheated the oven just before making the egg tart filling. After I finished pouring the filling into the mould, I had to wait about 5 minutes before my oven was at 250°C. So you can preheat your oven earlier.
Spread the biscuit base evenly –
For this recipe, the texture if better when the biscuit base is thin
Ingredients:
Egg tart shell:
150 grams plain flour/all purpose flour 中筋面粉 150克
30 grams cornstarch 玉米淀粉 30克
1/4 teaspoon baking powder 泡打粉 1/4茶匙
125 grams softened butter (salted) 黄油，软 （咸）125克
25 grams icing sugar 糖粉 25克
1 egg (room temperature) 鸡蛋, 室温度 1粒
1/2 teaspoon vanilla essence 香草精 1/2茶匙
Egg tart filling:
110 grams sugar 糖 110克
320 ml water 水320毫升
4 eggs (room temperature) 鸡蛋, 室温度 4粒
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Print Recipe for Egg Tart Recipe:
Egg Tart Recipe
Ingredients
Egg tart shell:
- 150 grams plain flour/all purpose flour 中筋面粉 150克
- 30 grams cornstarch 玉米淀粉 30克
- 1/4 teaspoon baking powder 泡打粉 1/4茶匙
- 125 grams softened butter 黄油，软 （咸）125克 salted
- 25 grams icing sugar 糖粉 25克
- 1 egg 鸡蛋, 室温度 1粒 room temperature
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla essence 香草精 1/2茶匙
Egg tart filling:
- 110 grams sugar 糖 110克
- 320 ml water 水320毫升
- 4 eggs 鸡蛋, 室温度 4粒， room temperature
Instructions
Prepare sugar syrup
- Place sugar and water in a pot, Cook until the sugar is fully dissolved. Then transfer to a bowl to cool down to room temperature.
Prepare the dough
- Mix flour, cornstarch and baking powder. Set aside.
- Cream butter and sugar until pale yellow and fluffy. Add eggs and vanilla essence. Beat until well incorporated. Then add mixed flour. Mix well using a spatula until it forms a dough texture (about 5 minutes). Test texture by using your fingers to roll some dough into a ball (if it doesn’t stick to your fingers, it is ready). Rest the dough in the fridge for 15 minutes.
Shape dough
- Take up 19 grams of dough. Form a ball. Then flatten against the inside of the mould. Make sure the dough is evenly distributed.
- Place all the moulds onto a baking tray. Use a fork and poke some holes on the dough.
Prepare the egg tart filling
- Beat the eggs. Then add the sugar syrup. Mix well. Sieve the mixture.
- Pour the mixture into the moulds.
Bake the tarts
- Bake in a preheated oven at 250°C for 10 minutes (middle rack, no fan force, top and bottom function)
- Open the oven door slightly, then let it rest in the oven for another 10 minutes.
- When it’s done, the egg filling will still be slightly jiggly.
- Remove from mould and let it cool down on a cooling rack.
Notes
Oven has to be well preheated at 250°C. It takes about 20 minutes. In my video, I preheated the oven just before making the egg tart filling. After I finished pouring the filling into the mould, I had to wait about 5 minutes before my oven was at 250°C. So you can preheat your oven earlier. Spread the biscuit base evenly –
For this recipe, the texture if better when the biscuit base is thin