🥧 Authentic Cantonese Egg Tart | Teahouse-Level Flaky Crust Technique & Silky Custard Secret |

🔥 Core Standards:

Crust Layers: 144 layers of puff pastry (three turns of folding technique)
Custard Texture: Strained 3 times, no bubbles or membranes
Baking Temperature: 230℃ staged baking (high heat for puffing, then low heat to set)

🛒 Classic Recipe (Makes 12 Tarts)

▫️ Crust:

220g all-purpose flour + 55g cake flour (mixed for flakier texture)
60g lard/butter (lard preferred traditionally for extra crispiness)
45ml ice water (controls dough temperature, prevents oiling out)
15g sugar (for color enhancement)

▫️ Custard:

2 whole eggs + 1 egg yolk (for silkiness)
180ml milk + 70ml evaporated milk (classic Hong Kong teahouse combo)
60g sugar (20% less sweet than Portuguese style)
2.5g custard powder (optional, for aroma and firmness)

👨‍🍳 Heritage-Level Making Process

1️⃣ Puff Pastry Dough (Water-Oil Layering Method)
① Water dough: Mix flour + sugar + ice water until smooth, chill 30 minutes
② Oil dough: Mix cake flour + lard into a dough, shape into a thin sheet, chill
③ Laminate: Encase oil dough in water dough, perform three turns of "fold in four" folds (30-minute chill between folds)
④ Form tart shells: Roll final dough to 0.3cm thickness, cut circles, press into tart molds (mold edge must be overflown)

2️⃣ Custard Preparation (Sugar-Water Emulsification)
① Heat sugar + milk to 50℃ to dissolve, cool to room temperature
② Add lightly beaten eggs (stir gently in one direction to avoid bubbles)
③ Strain custard 3 times, rest to degas and remove impurities

3️⃣ Baking Essentials

Preheat: Oven at 230℃ (or 360°F)
Staged Baking:
- Bake at 230℃ for 15 minutes (puff crust)
- Lower to 150℃ for 12 minutes (set custard without burning)
Done When: Toothpick inserted comes out clean, custard center quivers slightly

💎 Master's Secret Tips

▪️ Moisture Protection: Brush honey water on bottom of crust after baking to keep crisp
▪️ Richer Aroma: Add 1 tablespoon condensed milk to custard for Macau flavor
▪️ Substitutions: Replace evaporated milk with whole milk + 5g milk powder if needed
▪️ Storage: Refrigerate up to 2 days; reheat by spraying water and baking at 180℃ for 5 minutes

🚨 Common Mistakes & Fixes

✖️ Oily crust: Oil dough not chilled enough / uneven rolling → Chill again and roll gently
✖️ Bubbly custard: Over mixing / insufficient straining → Rest 30 minutes and pop surface bubbles
✖️ Crust and filling separation: Custard too hot → Cool to room temp before pouring

"One bite — flaky crust flakes crumble, custard trembles silky smooth — this is the soul of old Cantonese yum cha!"