Heart-Shaped Egg Tarts

Wait! Isn’t Valentine’s Day over? Why are you still making these cute-looking heart-shaped egg tarts?! Well, unbeknownst to many, White Day is actually just around the corner! It is observed by some Asian countries and occurs on March 14th, just one month after Valentine’s Day. I actually don’t celebrate White Day but I just wanted an excuse to make more heart-shaped baked goods! Call me ditzy but heart-shaped goodies should legally be appropriate at any time of the year :P (Yeah, you know what’s coming up)

Egg tarts had always been on my to-bake list. I had some leftover tart dough from a previous bake and decided to attempt this 10 minutes custard. After reading Shirley’s post on her Hong Kong Style Egg Tarts, a strong sense of NOSTALGIA fell upon me. It’s true! Nostalgia just makes anything taste infinitely better. This is why most people love Mummys’ cooking best. Whatever you grow up with will always be your comfort food. She followed a recipe that supposedly takes after Saint Honore Cake Shop’s famous oval-shaped egg tarts.

As a little girl, I remember often calling my mum at work and requesting for a box of egg tarts, since her office was conveniently located by the mall (Parkway Parade for any Singaporeans reading this. They used to have it in the basement). The box of egg tarts was secured with a ribbon which I could never (for the love of God) figure out how it was tied on. Armed with a scissor, I would then snip the ribbon and open the box to reveal these yellow treats. My face would beam with glee. It was almost like a little leprechaun had just discovered her pot of gold.

Being the picky little brat I was, I would grab a spoon and start gobbling the custard but leaving the shell behind. (Yeah, I know what you’re thinking, the shell is AMAZING too!!! WHAT A BRAT)

Anyways, I decided to try out this wonderful recipe Shirley spoke of, albeit in the shape of a heart! I wanted to also try out the silicon cupcake moulds that Courtney gave me as a birthday gift this year. :D

Heart-Shaped Egg Tarts

adapted and converted from Kokken with slight modifications

Shell

  • 1/3 cup unsalted butter
  • 2 tablespoons shortening
  • 1/3 cup powdered sugar
  • 12g egg white (about half egg white)
  • 1 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 tablespoon evaporated milk

Custard

  • 3 eggs
  • 1/3 cup granulated sugar
  • 3 tablespoons evaporated milk
  • 200ml water

Method:

  1. Cream softened butter with sugar until white and creamy.
  2. Add beaten egg white and mix until well incorporated.
  3. Mix in evaporated milk.
  4. Slowly add in flour until the dough comes together. Do not over beat or you will end up with a tough dough.
  5. Chill the dough in the fridge for an hour before dividing the dough into 15 portions. Press the dough into a tart mold and press well to line the tart mould. Chill the lined tart molds for 15 mins. In the mean time, prepare custard.
  6. Prepare custard. Beat the eggs together and mix all the other ingredients in.
  7. Your custard should be very watery. You could then sift your custard once, just to get rid of any large chunks of egg yolk. Pour custard mixture into tart casings.
  8. Bake at 450 degrees for about 12 minutes or until custard sets. This should be done on the middle rack!

I also made some regular shaped ones

Let your egg tarts cool once the custard has been thoroughly baked and set. These tarts don’t taste as great when they are fresh from the oven. Once cooled, the tarts become sweeter and softer, without too much egg-y taste!

I didn’t think they resembled the St. Honore Egg Tarts that I remembered from long ago… Then again, it has been more than 15 years ago.. But this was nonetheless a spectacular recipe! I will definitely make it again! yum yum yum!! My cousin really loved it! He said it tasted just like the ones from Dim Sum restaurants. :D

Happy White Day to everyone!

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Category : Dim Sum, Pies and Tarts, Valentine's Day
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