Content

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1. Why This Recipe Works
2. Ingredients Required
3. How to Prepare Everything Before Cooking
4. Step-by-Step Cooking Instructions
5. A Few Tips From My Kitchen 
6. Common Mistakes to Avoid 
7. Variations
8. More Recipes to Try

Why This Recipe Works

Flaky Chinese puff pastry. The pastry is made with two doughs, which are rolled and folded to create many thin, crispy layers. It has a lighter, flakier texture than the shortcrust pastry used in some Hong Kong bakeries.

Butter instead of lard. Traditional Hong Kong-style egg tart pastry often uses lard for its tender, flaky texture. Since many people do not consume pork, this recipe uses only butter, which adds a rich, buttery flavor while still producing a flaky pastry.

Smooth egg custard. The filling is made with eggs, milk, water, and sugar. Straining the mixture removes strands of egg white and any lumps, helping to produce a smooth, silky custard.

Make-ahead convenience. You can prepare the pastry in advance and refrigerate it between folding stages. Any extra pastry can also be frozen for another batch.

Ingredients Breakdown

• Hong Kong egg tarts are made with two types of dough and an egg custard filling. Here is what each ingredient does.
• All-purpose flour. Used in both the water dough and oil dough. It provides structure and elasticity to the water dough, while in the oil dough, it combines with butter to form a pliable mixture for lamination.
• Egg for dough. Added to the water dough along with water. It contributes to the dough’s structure and consistency, making it easier to handle during rolling and folding.
• Ice-cold water. Helps keep the water dough cool during mixing, especially when working in a warm kitchen.
• Milk powder. Added to the water dough for a mild dairy flavor.
• Salt for pastry. Seasons the dough and balances the flavor of the butter.
• Unsalted butter. Provides the buttery flavor I like in Hong Kong-style egg tarts. Keep it cool during lamination to prevent it from becoming too soft and leaking through the dough.
• Eggs. The main ingredient in the custard. They help the filling set as it bakes.
• Fresh milk. Adds a mild dairy flavor without making the custard excessively rich.
• Caster sugar. Sweetens the custard and dissolves easily when heated with water.

How to Prepare Everything Before Cooking

Prepare the ingredients.

Weigh the ingredients for the water dough, oil dough, and custard separately. Having everything ready makes the repeated rolling and chilling much easier to manage.

Prepare the equipment.

I use individual egg tart molds measuring approximately 7.5 cm across and 2.5 cm deep.

You will also need a rolling pin, a silicone pastry mat, parchment paper or plastic wrap, a pastry cutter, and a fine-mesh strainer.

I find a non-slip silicone pastry mat particularly convenient. I can roll the dough with very little flour, and cleaning up afterward is much easier.

Plan the chilling time.

Chinese puff pastry cannot be rushed. The dough needs to rest between folds, especially when the butter begins to soften.

You can also refrigerate the pastry overnight and continue the following day.

Prepare the custard later.

I recommend making the egg custard while the shaped pastry shells are chilling. Since the sugar syrup must cool completely before mixing it with the eggs, remember to allow enough time for this.

The complete ingredient quantities and measurements are provided in the recipe card below.

Step-by-Step Cooking Instructions

Step 1: Prepare the Water Dough and Oil Dough

Start with the water dough.

Combine the all-purpose flour, milk powder, and salt. Add the beaten egg and ice-cold water, then mix until a rough dough forms.

Knead until the dough becomes smooth and moderately elastic. It should stretch gently without tearing immediately, but there is no need to knead it as extensively as bread dough.

Developing some gluten gives the water dough enough strength to enclose the oil dough and withstand repeated rolling and folding.

Cover the dough and let it rest for about 30 minutes.

Next, prepare the oil dough.

Cut the cold butter into small pieces and combine it with the flour using a food processor or pastry cutter until a cohesive dough forms.

Shape the oil dough into an even square, approximately 18 × 18 cm, between sheets of parchment paper.

Refrigerate until it is cool but still pliable. If the oil dough becomes too hard, it may crack when you roll it during lamination.

Step 2: Enclose the Oil Dough and Laminate the Pastry

Roll the rested water dough into a square approximately 27 × 27 cm, large enough to enclose the oil dough completely.

Place the oil dough diagonally in the center. Fold the four corners of the water dough inward, like closing an envelope, and seal the seams so the oil dough is completely enclosed.

Gently tap the dough with a rolling pin before rolling it into a long rectangle. Use short strokes rather than forcing the dough outward in one movement.

I use two three-folds followed by one four-fold.

First three-fold: Fold one-third of the rectangle toward the center, then fold the opposite third over it, like folding a letter. Wrap and refrigerate for 20–30 minutes.

Second three-fold: Rotate the dough 90 degrees and roll it into another rectangle. Repeat the letter fold, then refrigerate for another 20–30 minutes.

Final four-fold: Rotate the dough again and roll it into a rectangle. Fold both ends toward the center until they meet, then fold the dough in half, like closing a book.

Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before shaping.

These folds create multiple alternating layers of water dough and oil dough. During baking, moisture in the pastry turns to steam and separates the layers, producing the flaky crust.

The most important thing is not how quickly you finish the folds, but whether the dough remains intact.

Step 3: Roll and Shape the Egg Tart Shells

Roll the laminated pastry evenly to approximately 3 mm thick.

I find this thickness suitable for egg tarts. If the pastry is too thick, there will be less room for custard, while rolling it too thin may cause the layers to tear during shaping.

Cut circles large enough to cover the bottom and sides of your molds, leaving a little extra around the rim. For my 7.5 cm molds, I use circles approximately 11–12 cm in diameter, although the exact size depends on the shape of the molds.

Place each circle into a mold and gently fit it against the bottom and sides. Avoid stretching the pastry or pressing it so firmly that the layers become compressed.

Let the pastry rest briefly before trimming the excess. Use a blunt knife or pastry cutter against the edge of the mold to obtain a neat finish.

Refrigerate the shaped shells for 15–20 minutes.

There is no need to prick the bottom with a fork or blind-bake the pastry. The custard goes directly into the chilled, unbaked shells.

Step 4: Prepare the Egg Custard Filling

Combine the caster sugar and water in a saucepan. Heat gently until the sugar dissolves, then allow the syrup to cool completely.

Do not add hot syrup directly to the eggs, as it may partially cook them and produce small lumps.

Beat the eggs gently until the yolks and whites are combined. Avoid vigorous whisking, which introduces unnecessary air bubbles.

Add the fresh milk and cooled syrup. Stir until evenly combined.

Strain the mixture twice through a fine-mesh sieve.

I find straining particularly useful because it removes any remaining strands of egg white and helps produce a smoother custard.

Let the mixture rest for 10–15 minutes, then remove any foam remaining on the surface.

Pour the custard into the chilled pastry shells until they are approximately 70–80% full. Avoid filling them to the rim because the custard may expand during baking.

Step 5: Bake the Egg Tarts

Preheat a conventional electric oven to 180°C (356°F), using both upper and lower heating elements without the fan.

Place the baking tray on a lower rack to help cook the pastry base without exposing the custard to too much heat from above.

Bake for approximately 25–35 minutes, checking from about 20 minutes onward.

The pastry should be golden and visibly layered, while the custard should be just set. When you gently move the tray, the center should still have a slight wobble rather than being completely firm.

Watch the custard surface carefully. If it rises into a pronounced dome, the heat may be too strong.

Remove the egg tarts from the oven as soon as the pastry is cooked and the custard is just set. Do not leave them in the hot oven for an additional five minutes, as the residual heat may overcook the filling.

Allow the tarts to cool on a wire rack for about 10–15 minutes before carefully removing them from the molds.

They are particularly enjoyable while still warm.

Variations

Shortcrust egg tarts. Hong Kong bakeries also sell egg tarts made with shortcrust pastry. These are easier to prepare, but the crumbly crust is quite different from the flaky, layered Chinese puff pastry used in this recipe.

Macau-style egg tarts. These are related to Portuguese pastel de nata and usually have a browned, caramelized custard surface. They require a different baking method, so simply changing the oven temperature in this recipe will not produce the same result.

More Dim Sum Recipes to Try

If you enjoy making Hong Kong-style egg tarts, you might also like these three Chinese dim sum recipes from my blog.

Char Siu Sou (Chinese BBQ Pork Puff) – A savory Chinese puff pastry with a flavorful filling. My version uses chicken instead of pork and an all-butter pastry. It is also a good way to use any leftover pastry from these egg tarts.

Har Gow (Shrimp Dumplings) – A popular Cantonese dim sum dish made with juicy shrimp wrapped in thin, translucent wrappers. I’ll show you how to prepare both the filling and wrappers from scratch.

Char Siu Bao (Steamed BBQ Buns) – Soft, fluffy steamed buns with a savory, slightly sweet filling. My version uses chicken instead of traditional barbecue pork, with step-by-step instructions for preparing the dough and filling.

Quick Takeaways

Making Hong Kong-style egg tarts from scratch takes time, especially when preparing the flaky Chinese puff pastry. However, much of that time is spent resting and chilling the dough.

If there is one thing I would emphasize, it is to be patient during lamination. Keep the dough cool, roll it gently, and let it rest whenever it becomes difficult to handle.

For the egg custard, mix gently to avoid introducing too much air, and watch the baking temperature carefully. You want a smooth filling that is just set, with a slight wobble in the center, rather than one that rises into a large dome.