The lyrics in the classic Cantonese song “Butter Egg Tart” show people’s love for egg tarts at that time, and it is intoxicating to eat it. Indeed, egg tarts are really delicious in the world when eaten hot, and they are completely different species when they are cold. The outside is crispy and the slag is dropped, and the hot egg core inside is extremely tender and melts in the mouth. “An egg tart with a cup of milk tea” became the business card of Hong Kong afternoon tea at that time. Today, let’s learn about the past and present life of this “little cutie”.
Egg tarts originated in Europe, but because of their simple method, they have been localized and improved in various places in the process of dissemination, forming a variety of styles and textures. Portugal, as a great power in the Age of Discovery, plundered a large number of treasures and spices back to China, and also brought tempura to Japan, and corn and chili peppers from the Americas to the rest of the world. And the egg tart is also a gift from Portugal to the world.
The Portuguese custard tart has a fluffy mille-feuille base, a soft and tender melt-in-your-mouth Custard inside, and the signature caramel-coloured spots on the surface, making it a favorite in both Portugal and China. The English egg tart is different from the Portuguese egg tart in that its tart crust is usually kneaded with butter and cake flour at low temperature. As a result, the crust of the English custard tart is almost chewy, crispy and crunchy, and has a more cookie-like texture.
In addition to the tart crust, there are also fewer restrictions on the size of the British egg tart, large and small, in addition to the small egg tart that can be eaten by one person, there are also large models that can be cut and eaten. Commonly, Brits also add a variety of jams or fresh fruits such as raspberries, blueberries and oranges to their tarts.
The Chinese egg tarts in Guangdong and Hong Kong, although made from whole eggs and milk, are more refreshing than the egg yolk and cream of the rich custard sauce, but they are not too bland. The use of Chinese-style lard to open the crisp also makes the egg tart firmer and more Chinese. Many people who don’t like Western-style sweets often feel that Portuguese egg tarts have too strong milk flavor and too much sweetness, and they stay away from them, while Chinese-style egg tarts have a more similar texture to stewed eggs and have a more refreshing taste. Therefore, after adapting to local conditions, Chinese-style egg tarts are naturally more popular in China.
As we all know, the most essential part of the tart is its puff pastry. Those who like to do baking must know that egg tarts are full of treasures, in addition to making egg tarts, egg tart skin is also a good material for making all kinds of pastries. Use it to make the dessert crust, the taste is not bad at all, the crispy and attractive, and the dregs are delicious when you bite into it. Although the tart crust I bought is convenient, the tart crust I made by myself has zero additives, which is more delicious and crispy.
From the westernmost part of the European continent to the southeasternmost part of the Asian plate, egg tarts are a plain but heartwarming delicacy. The fluffy tart crust is always filled with a sweet, soft, melt-in-your-mouth filling. Even if it’s just sitting on the railing on the side of the street and watching the cars go by…… The egg tart is still sweet.
