Egg Tarts

Prepare the pastry by sifting the flour and icing sugar into a large bowl. Rub in the cold butter cubes with your fingertips until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Add the beaten egg and salt, then mix until a dough forms. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate for 45 minutes.

For the custard, dissolve the caster sugar into the hot water and stir well. Allow this sugar syrup to cool completely to room temperature.

In a separate bowl, whisk two eggs with the evaporated milk and vanilla extract. Slowly pour in the cooled sugar syrup while whisking gently to combine.

Pass the custard mixture through a fine-mesh sieve at least twice. This is crucial for removing air bubbles and any undissolved egg chalazae, ensuring a mirror-like finish.

Roll out the chilled pastry dough on a lightly floured surface to a thickness of 3mm. Use a fluted circular cutter to cut circles slightly larger than your tart tins.

Press the dough circles into the tart tins, ensuring no air is trapped underneath. Prick the bottoms lightly with a fork and trim any excess dough from the edges.

Pour the strained custard into the pastry shells, filling them to about 80 percent capacity to allow for slight expansion.

Bake in a preheated oven at 200°C (400°F) for 15 minutes. Then, lower the temperature to 180°C (350°F) and bake for another 10 to 12 minutes, or until the custard is set but still wobbles slightly in the middle. Cool slightly before removing from the tins.