The resulting Cantonese egg tart, also called dahn taht, has since become ubiquitous with Chinese bakeries as well as dim sum houses.įamous bakery Tai Cheong Bakery in Hong Kong is now synonymous with the emblematic egg tart. This is why pastéis de nata taste like slightly burnt sweet caramel and are more golden brown or sometimes scorched on top, where the Hong Kong tarts have more of a pure egg yolk taste. The Hong Kong style egg tart has a top that is more glassy and smooth. The Portuguese egg tart version, immortalized by Casa Pastéis de Belém which was the first pastry shop outside of the convent where they were created, to sell this pastry in 1837, has a very recognizable scorched top, very similar to a creme brulee. Also, dan tat is served piping hot and is not sprinkled with ground nutmeg or cinnamon before serving, like pastel de nata or English custard tart. Hong Kong egg tarts are however filled with a rich custard that is much eggier and less creamy than English custard tarts. However, egg tart also shares its origins with the English custard tart.

In Portugal, similar egg tarts are called pasteis de nata. This is actually the best time to get those tarts, as bakeries make fresh hot batches in time for the afternoon tea tradition. It is actually in these cafes that egg tarts were introduced to the British colony via the Portuguese colony of Macau, mostly to accompany afternoon tea. Traditional Hong Kong cafes that sell this Western and Chinese fusion cuisine at low prices are part of Hong Kong’s identity. With the island being a British colony for more than 100 years at the time, the primary cuisine had been Cantonese Chinese with Western cuisine influences. With this immigration, new types of food as well as cuisines were introduced to Hong Kong.

Hong kong egg tart recipe easy