A delicious tale of using eggs to make tarts, and serve them on a cart.

 For a lot of Hong Kong residents, one treat stands out the rest of the pack when it comes to Dim Sum.

And that golden pastry treat is Egg Tarts, (daan tat) 蛋撻.

Egg Tarts



This pastry has been through a lot. Eaten by so many people in Hong Kong as part of their Dim Sum recipe. Including myself. 

When I started eating Dim Sum, it was a long time ago when I was a kid. My parents took me to Chinatown and this wonderful place, (Shout out to Sky Dragon Mall) for Dim Sum. I remember (and they still do!) was the older ladies with carts, yelling what they have, and one of the dishes they offered was egg tarts.

The taste of it was crispy, golden batter with a sweet egg custard. Similar to a Portuguese Egg Tart, but the taste is much softer, rich in butter taste. 

The history behind it is fascinating as well, in fact, its a mystery yet to be revealed. 

And there are several histories behind it. 

One recorded history of how egg tart appeared comes from China and in the Qing Dynasty era, where according to 'The World of Chinese' website, there hosted a banquet for Emperor Kangxi. Below is where you can find information regarding their dynasty. 


There was a feast called, 'Manchu-Han Imperial Feast' (满汉全席 Mǎn Hàn Quán Xí). Also known as one of the fanciest meals in Chinese history. 

Something like this, where they have dishes surrounded by plates with gold encasements and dishes made for a feast. 

There are several types of Egg Tarts like the Macau egg tarts which is very similar to the Portuguese style custard tarts. 

But there are other historic facts as well regarding how it came to be. 

And according to the Michelin Guide website, the Hong Kong style (in particular) egg tarts were introduced in the 1920s during the World War I by the British. (to note, before 1997, Hong Kong was part of the British commonwealth before they passed over to China shortly after)

After the war ended, the tart exploded and became part of Hong Kong culture. It quickly adapted to local tastes offering it at Chinese Bakeries and Dim Sum restaurants. 

In the 1960s, Hong-Kong style diner cafes, also known as Cha chaan teng (茶餐厅) were serving the working class population. They usually serve this with oolong tea or Hong Kong style milk tea. 

Today, you can find all sorts of Egg Tarts (dann taat) everywhere around the world. I also checked out this cool blog post from 'Make Your Calories Count' showcasing 8 of the best egg tarts found in the city. 

Places like, Cheung Heung Yuen Restaurant 祥香園茶餐廳, Happy Cake Shop  快樂餅店 and six other locations you can check out! Check it out through this link. 

Hong Kong egg tarts have come a long way since its time in the 1920s. And its been a mainstay to this day as part of the Dim Sum culture. 



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