Cantonese Styled Pandan Egg Tarts

Who don't like egg tarts raise their hands??? Geez, I can chomp 3 to 4 pieces in one go! Yikes! And my resolution for 2014 is to eat less food that will make me fat! Hell! I baked for the kids! :lol: Yes, the kids requested... :D

Personally I like Portuguese egg tarts as I like the flaky pastry and the cheat version is just so easy to whip up! But sometimes I just want to challenge myself to try other recipes so I can make a comparison. The kids, they will just whack anything the mommy cook or bake for them so there is no issues at all. If no takers, mommy whack all or make the poor daddy the trash bin. Heh!

It cost me AUD$1.50 for an egg tart sold at the Asian bakeries here. I baked 14-15 pieces for less than AUD$5 with this recipe. Don't count labour cost okie... Else, just go to the shop and get your fix. I can't afford that since I have 3 monsters that have super power digestive system (when it comes to food that is not classified as 'proper meal').

And since I have the egg tart moulds... the trial begin a few weeks back for a gathering. The crust is quite nice though I'll still prefer those served at dim sum restaurant (flaky crust) but that will be for another day. Today, we'll have the Cantonese styled ones...

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I adapted the recipe from Christine's but I made some adjustment to the egg custard filling as I prefer a less sweet version. Also, I cut down on the amount of water since I have a lot of excess custard on my first and second trial.

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Ingredients

Crust

• 225 gm Plain flour - sifted (I used cake flour)


• 125 gm Butter - room temperature


• 55 gm Icing sugar - sifted


• 1 Egg - whisked


• ¼ tsp Vanilla extract

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Custard

• 3 eggs


• 80 gm Caster sugar


• 200 ml Hot water


• 85 ml Evaporated milk*


• ½ tsp Vanilla extract


• A drop of Pandan leaf essence

* I do not have evaporated milk so I substituted with 85ml of milk mixed with 1 tsp of sugar and ½ tsp of corn flour and simmer in a saucepan but not boiling it

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Methods

1. Use a electric mixer to cream butter and icing sugar till smooth and light in colour.


2. Add in whisked egg half at a time and add in vanilla. Mixed well.


3. Sift in flour (I pre-shifted so just scoop into the mixing bowl) and combine well and knead into soft dough making sure to scrape the sides of the mixing bowl.


4. Lightly floured your working surface and take out the dough and knead for a minute or two.


5. If your place is warm, do wrap up the dough and chill it for a while (20-30 mins) before you start work on it as it can get really soft and difficult to roll.


6. Roll out the dough with a roller to about 5mm thick and use a round cookie cutter that is slightly smaller than your tart mould to cut out. Place the cut dough in the middle of your tart mould (sprinkled lightly with some flour) and slowly press from the bottom up. Cut away excess dough. Place tart moulds in a baking tray.


7. Preheat your oven to 200ºC and position your rack at the lower part of the oven.


8. Heat up water and slowly stir in sugar. Mix till all sugar is dissolved.


9. Whisked eggs with evaporated and vanilla. Pour in sugar water. Mix well.


10. Sift the egg mixture to get rid off foam or other solids into a teapot or a mixing jug.


11. Pour egg mixture into prepared tart moulds till almost to the brim (leave at least 2-3mm below the dough's surface so it would not flow over when you move the baking tray)


12. Baked at 200ºC for about 10 minutes or till the tart turned brown slightly. Bring the temperature down to 180ºC and continue to bake till you see the custard starts to puff up a bit.


13. Keep your oven door's ajar (2-3 inches) and continue to bake for another 10-15 minutes till custard is cooked through (and to avoid getting your crust getting burned). You can test using a toothpick. If it stand upright, your custard is cooked.


14. Switch off your oven but leave the tarts inside for another 5 minutes before you take them out to cool.