Chinese Egg Tarts

With their sunny custard filling, these melt-in-the mouth tarts are popular during Lunar New Year, but we love their rich egginess all
year round. If you don’t have a shallow 12-well tartlet pan, use a shallow muffin pan or 12 disposable foil tartlet pans set on a rimmed baking sheet.

MAKES: 12 tarts

PREP TIME: 30 minutes

COOKING TIME: about 20 minutes

INGREDIENTS:

ASSEMBLY AND BAKING

• Tart pan(s)
• Flour for dusting

CRUST

• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup icing sugar, sifted
• 1 ¼ cups unsalted butter, softened
• 1 large egg
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

CUSTARD FILLING

• ¾ cup water
• ⅓ cup granulated sugar
• 5 large eggs
• ½ cup whole milk
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

1. Whisk together the flour and icing sugar in a medium bowl. Set aside.
2. In a large bowl and using an electric mixer, beat the butter until pale and fluffy.
3. Add the flour mixture to the butter. Stir with a fork until the mixture is crumbly. Using your fingers, work the butter into the flour mixture until evenly distributed.
4. In a small bowl, whisk together the egg and vanilla extract. Add to the flour mixture, stirring just until the dough comes together.
5. On a clean work surface, gather the dough into a ball. Wrap it tightly in plastic wrap, then let rest at room temperature for 15 minutes while you make the filling.
6. Stir together the water and sugar in a small saucepan. Cook over medium heat until the sugar has dissolved. Remove from the heat and let cool to room temperature.
7. In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, and vanilla extract.
8. Whisk in the cooled sugar mixture until smooth. Pour the egg mixture through a fine-mesh sieve into a pitcher. Set aside.

9. Preheat the oven to 450°F.
10. Pinch off about 2 tablespoonfuls of the dough and roll it into a ball. Press the ball of dough into the base and up the sides of a well of the tart pan. Use the floured base of a shot glass to press the dough evenly into the well. Make sure the dough comes to just above the rim of the pan, as the pastry will shrink slightly as it bakes.
11. Repeat with the remaining dough to make 12 tarts in all.
12. Whisk the egg mixture to combine, then carefully pour it into the lined wells, filling them almost to the top.
13. Bake for 10 minutes. Rotate the pan or baking sheet 180 degrees, then bake until the pastry is lightly browned and the custard is set, 5 to 10 minutes. Serve warm or cold.