Egg tart: Difference between revisions
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Custard tarts were introduced in Hong Kong in the 1940s by [[cha chaan teng]]s. They were then introduced in western cafes and [[Chinese bakery|bakeries]] to compete with [[dim sum]] restaurants, particularly for [[yum cha]].<ref name="hkeggtarthistory">[http://tcstreet.com/Book/daily/tart/tart.htm Origin of eggtart]</ref> During the economic boom of the 1950s and 1960s, [[Lu Yu]] (陸羽, [[Pinyin]]: Lù Yǔ) took the lead with the mini-egg tart.<ref name="hkeggtarthistory" /> Ironically, mini egg tarts are now a common dim sum dish and are richer than those served in bakeries. |
Custard tarts were introduced in Hong Kong in the 1940s by [[cha chaan teng]]s. They were then introduced in western cafes and [[Chinese bakery|bakeries]] to compete with [[dim sum]] restaurants, particularly for [[yum cha]].<ref name="hkeggtarthistory">[http://tcstreet.com/Book/daily/tart/tart.htm Origin of eggtart]</ref> During the economic boom of the 1950s and 1960s, [[Lu Yu]] (陸羽, [[Pinyin]]: Lù Yǔ) took the lead with the mini-egg tart.<ref name="hkeggtarthistory" /> Ironically, mini egg tarts are now a common dim sum dish and are richer than those served in bakeries. |
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One theory suggests |
One theory suggests Hong Kong egg tarts are an adaptation of English tarts with [[custard]] filling. [[Guangdong]] had more frequent contact with the West, in particular Britain, than the rest of China. As a former British colony, Hong Kong adopted some British cuisine. Another theory suggests that egg tarts evolved from the very similar Portuguese egg tart pastries, known as [[pastel de nata]], traveling to Hong Kong via the Portuguese colony of Macau. |
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[[Christopher Patten]], the last British governor of Hong Kong, enjoyed eating egg tarts at [[Tai Cheong Bakery]]<ref name="exploringhongkong">{{cite book | last = Bailey| first =Steven K.| coauthors = Jill C. Witt | title = Exploring Hong Kong: A Visitor's Guide to Hong Kong Island, Kowloon, and the New Territories|page = 43| publisher = ThingsAsian Press| date = 2009 |isbn = 9781934159163}}</ref>. |
[[Christopher Patten]], the last British governor of Hong Kong, enjoyed eating egg tarts at [[Tai Cheong Bakery]]<ref name="exploringhongkong">{{cite book | last = Bailey| first =Steven K.| coauthors = Jill C. Witt | title = Exploring Hong Kong: A Visitor's Guide to Hong Kong Island, Kowloon, and the New Territories|page = 43| publisher = ThingsAsian Press| date = 2009 |isbn = 9781934159163}}</ref>. |
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Revision as of 16:34, 15 November 2010
| Egg tart | |||||||||||
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| Traditional Chinese | 蛋撻 | ||||||||||
| Simplified Chinese | 蛋挞 | ||||||||||
| Literal meaning | egg tart | ||||||||||
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The egg tart or egg custard tart is a pastry commonly found in Hong Kong and other Asian countries, which consists of an outer pastry crust that is filled with egg custard and baked.
History
Custard tarts were introduced in Hong Kong in the 1940s by cha chaan tengs. They were then introduced in western cafes and bakeries to compete with dim sum restaurants, particularly for yum cha.[1] During the economic boom of the 1950s and 1960s, Lu Yu (陸羽, Pinyin: Lù Yǔ) took the lead with the mini-egg tart.[1] Ironically, mini egg tarts are now a common dim sum dish and are richer than those served in bakeries.
One theory suggests Hong Kong egg tarts are an adaptation of English tarts with custard filling. Guangdong had more frequent contact with the West, in particular Britain, than the rest of China. As a former British colony, Hong Kong adopted some British cuisine. Another theory suggests that egg tarts evolved from the very similar Portuguese egg tart pastries, known as pastel de nata, traveling to Hong Kong via the Portuguese colony of Macau.
Christopher Patten, the last British governor of Hong Kong, enjoyed eating egg tarts at Tai Cheong Bakery[2].
Hong Kong cuisine
Today, egg tarts come in many variations within Hong Kong cuisine, including egg white, milk , honey-egg, ginger-flavoured egg, which are variations of a traditional milk custard and egg custard served in cha chaan tengs), and also chocolate tarts, green-tea-flavoured tarts, and even bird's nest tarts.
Overall, Hong Kong egg tarts have two main types of crusts: shortcrust pastry and puff pastry, traditionally made with lard rather than butter or shortening. Most Hong Kong Chinese food purists hold the egg tarts made with puff pastry in higher regard.
Unlike English custard tarts, milk is normally not added to the egg custard, and the tart is not sprinkled with ground nutmeg or cinnamon before serving. It is also served piping hot rather than at room temperature like English custard tarts.
They are sold at KFC restaurants in south-east Asia.
Portuguese cuisine
Portuguese egg tarts were evolved from "pastel de nata", a traditional Portuguese custard pastry that consists of custard in a crème brûlée-like consistency caramelized in a puff pastry case. It was created more than 200 years ago by Catholic Sisters at Jerónimos Monastery (Portuguese: Mosteiro dos Jerónimos) at Belém in Lisbon.[3] Casa Pastéis de Belém was the first pastry shop outside of the convent to sell this pastry in 1837. It is now a popular pastry in every pastry shop around the world owned by Portuguese descendants.
See also
References
- ^ a b Origin of eggtart
- ^ Bailey, Steven K. (2009). Exploring Hong Kong: A Visitor's Guide to Hong Kong Island, Kowloon, and the New Territories. ThingsAsian Press. p. 43. ISBN 9781934159163.
{{cite book}}: Unknown parameter|coauthors=ignored (|author=suggested) (help) - ^ csmonitor
External links
- Pictures of egg tarts being made, with text in Chinese including its history in Hong Kong
- A simple recipe for egg tarts
- Recipe of traditional English-style custard tart which inspired the Chinese version
- AVBuzz.com, a Hong Kong-based online photographic society, has its photographs capturing the crowds around Tai Cheong's Bakery.
- There's history - and a secret - in every bite
- Lord Stow's Bakery
- The egg tart column(蛋挞专题, Pinyin: dàtà zhuāntí) form 5hpk.com contains many recipes, people's feeling, gallery and also history and so on. (text in Chinese characters)