That creamy filling. That flaky crust. The way it’s so easy— too easy— to eatfive in one sitting. The Chinese egg tart.
We love this mildly sweet treat, and while every day is dan tat day to us, World Egg Daytoday (and every second Friday of October) gives us even more reason to celebrate. Savorthese eight things you might know about one of our favorite Asian desserts.
Just as the seemingly quintessential American ketchup has Chinese origins, the seemingly quintessential Chinese dan tat actually has its roots in Great Britain and Portugal. However, both the English and Portuguese versions ultimately come from the king of pastries, France,while the egg tarts you'll find in Chinese restaurants and bakeries today are distinct from their European cousins.
Also called custard tarts, English-style egg tarts have been around since at least the medieval times. Known back then as doucets or darioles, they were served at the coronation banquet of Henry IV in 1399.
With its distinctive caramelized, creme brulee-like topping, pastéis de nata are arguably Portugal’s favorite dessert. They were supposedly first made in the 13th century by monks in the Jerónimos Monastery in Lisbon.Legend says the monks had been based in France, where they learned of delectable pastries, and that they needed a way to use up the yolks separated from the egg whites that were used to starch clothing. What better way than in yummy tarts?
Sensing impending closure after the the Liberal Revolution of 1820, the enterprising monks of the Jerónimos Monastery started selling pastéis de nata to a nearby sugar refinery. In 1834, their monastery indeed closed and the recipe was sold to said sugar refinery. Three years later, the refinery owners opened Fábrica de Pastéis de Belém, which is run by descendants of the original owners and where you can still get egg tarts based on the ancient recipe today.
So how did egg tarts make their way to China? Presumably through exploration and colonization. Portugal, with its long history of naval exploration, first landed in Guangzhou Province in 1513 while Hong Kong became a British colony in the early 1840s.
Legend says that in 1920s Guangzhou, competition between department stores was tough. To rise to the challenge, every week the chefs of each store (department stores had chefs, who knew?) would invent a new goodie to draw in customers. Thus, the egg tart was born.
After World War II, eating establishments called cha chaan tengs, literally “tea restaurants,” started popping up in Hong Kong. Casual and inexpensive, they specialized in Western-style dishes with a Chinese twist, including milk tea, "French" toast, and egg tarts. Like Pasteis de Belen, cha chaan tengs are still popular today and a must-see if you visit Hong Kong.
A Portuguese colony from 1557 to 1999, Macau has probably seen its fair share of pastéis de nata, but auniquely Macanese egg tart seems to have arisen more recently. In 1989, Andrew Stow, a British pharmacist-turned-baker, opened Lord Stow’s Bakery, specializing in an egg tart made with a Portuguese-style shell, English-style custard, and burnt topping.
While Stow originally developed the tart for the homesick Portuguese community, they were an instant hit with the local Chinese as well, andcontinue to be. Almost 30 years later, the bakery produces about 13,000 tarts a day.
What’s your favorite kind of egg tart?
FAQs
They were supposedly first made in the 13th century by monks in the Jerónimos Monastery in Lisbon. Legend says the monks had been based in France, where they learned of delectable pastries, and that they needed a way to use up the yolks separated from the egg whites that were used to starch clothing.
What is the history of Portuguese egg tarts? ›
The origin of Pastel de Nata dates back to before the 18th century, where they were created by monks at the Jerónimos Monastery in the parish of Santa Maria de Belém in Lisbon. At that time, convents and monasteries used large quantities of egg-whites for starching clothes.
What is the history of egg tarts in Hong Kong? ›
With its silky, sweet egg custard filling encased by crisp and tender puff pastry, this tart is believed to have originated in Canton (now Guangzhou) around the 1920s, in response to the sudden influx of British businessmen and officials and their love of the British egg custard tart.
What is the difference between Hong Kong and Portuguese egg tarts? ›
Portugal's tart has a flaky crust that is like the Hong Kong version. The two taste somewhat similar, but the pastel de nata has a caramelised surface, while the daan tat top is smooth and glossy.
What is the original egg tart in Portugal? ›
Originally discovered by Portuguese nuns at Jerónimos Monastery in Belém, the sweet treats soon became popular and spread across the world. Pastéis de Belém is the original place that started selling Portuguese egg tarts, dating back to 1837.
What are some interesting facts about egg tarts? ›
Egg tarts were introduced to Hong Kong via Guangzhou in the 1940s but initially could only be found in higher-end Western-style restaurants. In the 1960s, cha chaan tengs began to serve egg tarts, popularizing the pastry with the working-class Hong Kong population.
What is the history of tarts? ›
Tarts have a long history, and their origins can be traced back to ancient Rome. The word “tart” is thought to derive from the Old French word tarte, which itself is derived from the Latin word torta, meaning “twisted bread”. Tarts were initially made with a variety of fillings, including meats, fish, and vegetables.
What do egg tarts symbolize? ›
Egg tarts started as a symbol of exclusivity and later morphed into a pastry for the people, accessible to all.
What are Portuguese tarts called? ›
Pasteis de nata, or Portuguese custard tarts, with their signature flaky crust and sweet custard filling are world-famous, and incredibly delicious.
Are Portuguese tarts and egg tarts the same? ›
Another distinct difference between Portuguese egg tarts and other egg tarts like English egg tarts or Chinese egg tarts is that the Portuguese tart uses only egg yolks and also includes a light puff pastry, whereas the English tart and Chinese egg tart uses whole eggs and a denser pie crust-like dough for the outside.
The "egg tart effect" means that a certain piece of information spreads virally, and within a short period of time, many people over-believe that they can make money through a certain business or a certain technique.
Are Portuguese egg tarts served warm or cold? ›
They can be enjoyed warm or cold. If you've made a batch but don't want to eat them all they will freeze well. Just place a few in a tupperware box and freeze for up to 3 months. You probably won't need to though as they will all disappear pretty sharpish!
What does Hong Kong egg tart taste like? ›
They're buttery, sweet, and undeniably delicious. The homemade pastry dough is made with powdered sugar for a tender, melt-in-your-mouth texture, and the sweet custard is enriched with eggs, vanilla, and creamy evaporated milk for a luscious mouthfeel.
What is the history of Hong Kong egg tart? ›
History. The egg tart started being sold in the early 20th century in Guangzhou (Canton), Guangdong province, inspired by the European custard tarts. Guangzhou's status as the only port accessible to European foreign traders led to the development of Cantonese cuisine having many outside influences.
What is the history of the Portuguese tart? ›
Pastel de nata were invented in the 18th century, by monks at the Jerónimos Monastery in Santa Maria de Belem. At the time, it was common practice to use egg whites to starch nuns' habits — which, naturally, left the monks with a ton of leftover yolks.
What is the most famous Portuguese tart? ›
No trip to Lisbon is complete without eating a pastéis de nata (or a few!). These Portuguese egg custard tarts are the perfect anytime-snack and really satisfy any sweet cravings you may have. While you can easily find them all over the city, we've rounded up 6 of our favorite places to eat pastéis de nata in Lisbon.
What are Portuguese tarts called in Portugal? ›
Pasteis de nata, or Portuguese custard tarts, with their signature flaky crust and sweet custard filling are world-famous, and incredibly delicious.
What is a fun fact about pastéis de nata? ›
This simple but delectable treat was actually created in an effort to prevent food waste: the nuns and monks would use egg whites to starch their clothes, which left an abundance of egg yolks. Thus: the egg yolk-based custard in pastéis de nata was born!
What did the Portuguese use egg whites for? ›
However, it was common practice in Portuguese convents to use egg whites for starching/pressing their habits, and egg whites were also very useful for filtering liquids, such as wine. As they were paid with chickens by the poor, eggs were always bountiful.
