Cantonese Egg Custard Tartlets with Flaky Pastry

By AislePrompt Editorial · Published 2026-07-03 · Updated 2026-07-03

How this recipe was made — this recipe was drafted by AislePrompt's AI-assisted pipeline from technique templates and USDA-sourced nutrition data, and published by AislePrompt Editorial — see how AislePrompt recipes are developed and reviewed.

Miniature tartlets with a velvety smooth egg custard filling nestled in crisp, buttery pastry shells, a classic Cantonese dim sum dessert. This Chinese-inspired recipe, ready in about 67 minutes, layers all-purpose flour, unsalted butter, icing sugar into a dessert worth slowing down for — great for weekend baking, holiday tables, or any time you want a sweet payoff at the end of a meal. Each serving lands at about 210 calories and feeds 6, so it slots into a weekend bake or a special-occasion dessert tray. Tap "Plan a meal with the AI" below to drop this recipe into your week and send the ingredients straight to Instacart. Nutrition values are approximate, calculated from USDA FoodData Central (fdc.nal.usda.gov) — verify against ingredient labels for any health-driven dietary plan.

Prep: 45 min Cook: 22 min Serves 6 Chinese cuisine 210 cal/serving

Build a week of meals around this recipe → Shop this recipe on Instacart → Shop equipment ↓

Ingredients

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
6 tbsp, cold and cubed unsalted butter
2 tbsp icing sugar
3 tbsp cold water
3 large eggs
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup whole milk
1/4 cup evaporated milk
1 tsp vanilla extract

Affiliate disclosure: AislePrompt may earn a commission on qualifying purchases made through Amazon links, at no additional cost to you. See our policy →

Equipment for this recipe

Tools this recipe's steps call for, with a link to each on Amazon.

More Bakeware & baking tools → Shop all kitchen tools →

Instructions

Step 1: Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). To make pastry, combine 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour with 2 tbsp icing sugar in a bowl, then cut in 6 tbsp cold cubed unsalted butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
Step 2: Gradually add 3 tbsp cold water, mixing gently to form a dough; wrap in plastic and chill for 30 minutes.
Step 3: Roll out dough on a floured surface to 1/8-inch thickness; cut into circles slightly larger than your tartlet pans (about 3-inch diameter), and press into the pans.
Step 4: In a mixing bowl, whisk 3 large eggs, 1/3 cup granulated sugar until smooth; add 1/2 cup whole milk, 1/4 cup evaporated milk, and 1 tsp vanilla extract; strain the custard to ensure smoothness.
Step 5: Pour custard evenly into tart shells about 3/4 full.
Step 6: Bake for 20-22 minutes until the custard is just set with a slight jiggle and the pastry edges are golden brown.
Step 7: Cool on wire rack for 10 minutes before removing from pans; serve warm or at room temperature.