Chinese Egg Tart Recipe adapted from Nee Has Magazine

By msweeney

Ingredients

• Pastry:
• 3/4 cup butter, softened
• 1/3 cup powdered sugar
• 1 egg
• 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 cups flour
• 1/2 tablespoon cornstarch
• Filling:
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 cup water
• 3 eggs
• 1/3 cup evaporated milk
• 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 12 tart tins (3″ x 1.5″)

Preparation

Step 1

1. With hand mixer, cream the butter and powdered sugar until fluffy and smooth. Beat in the egg and vanilla extract. Combine the flour and cornstarch, stir into the butter mixture with a wooden spoon, then knead until a dough ball forms. Add extra flour until the dough loses its stickiness. Refrigerate the dough for 30minutes.

2. Create a simple syrup by bringing the water and sugar together to a boil, until the sugar dissolves. Set the syrup aside to cool to room temperature, then whisk in the eggs, evaporated milk and vanilla extract. Strain twice and set aside.

3. Roll the cooled dough out to 1/4" thickness and cut it into 4 1/2" circles, lightly press each dough round into a tart tin and then refrigerate while you heat the oven.

4. Heat the oven to 400 degrees and place a rack in a low position. Our the egg filling into the tart tins until they are about 80% full. Place the egg tarts into the oven, then immediately reduce the temperature to 350 degrees.

5. Bake 350 degrees for 30 minutes until filing puffs up dome shape. Decrease the temperature to 325 degrees, and bake 15 minutes more.