Here are our 5 favourite egg tarts and why you must try them all
Custard or crust - which takes centrestage for you? Read this review if you consider yourself an egg tart connoisseur.
Crystal Jade egg tarts, photo by @janelkuuu
Yes, we can't travel out of the country just yet. But look on the bright side - Singapore's a gastronomical paradise and that means we can still 'travel with our guts'. If you're missing Hong Kong's cha chaan tengs just like us, then join us as we go on a foodie's adventure and scout for one of the most iconic pastry - the egg tart.
Egg tarts have evolved so much since it was first introduced, the two main types:
- Portugese egg tarts in a creme brulee style with the caramelised custard filling,
- Hong Kong style tarts which now comes in variations with bird's nest, grated coconut and even pandan flavoured custard.
For this article, we will focus only on the Hong Kong style tarts with the smooth, yellow filling. In this style, some love the short crust pastry, while others swear by the Chinese puff pastry.
We rate our favourites below, including the newest entrants to the egg tart scene, and we'll tell you if it's worth the hype.
Honolulu Cafe egg tarts, photo by @ksherena
Honolulu Café
Where: Westgate (02-06)
Taste: Sweet custard, flakey crust
Honolulu Cafe says "with its 192 layers of fragrant flaky pastry and soft egg custard middle, these golden-colored babies are (their) pride and joy". Indeed, there is no disappointment with these tarts.
The dough is frozen overnight and folded into 192 layers for a cripsy and flakey shell. The perfect vehicle for that sweet custard filling.
If you're visiting Honolulu Cafe, don't forget to order the Crispy Polo Bun and the fluffy thick pillowy French Toast with the mandatory milk tea. If you like to do the classic HK-style breakfast of macaroni in tomato soup, this is the place to have your cravings satisfied.
Joy Luck Teahouse egg tarts, photo by @thegluttonproject
Joy Luck Teahouse
Where: Bugis Junction (B1-K25) - coming soon, ION Orchard (B4-61)
Taste: Best of both worlds, we loved the short crust option
Question - can you eat Cultural Heritage? Answer - Joy Luck Teahouse! Featuring the best hits, Joy Luck Teahouse is a one-stop shop for the 3 Treasures registered by the Hong Kong Government with UNESCO as "Intangible Cultural Heritage of Hong Kong" - Milk Tea, Egg Tarts and Pineapple Bun.
Now open at ION Orchard and *NEWS FLASH* Bugis Junction soon with all the good stuff and a bit more - get your fix of the famous Hoover Cake Shop egg tarts, Kam Kee Café pineapple bun and milk tea, as well as Tak Hing Fish Ball Company's handmade curry fish balls.
The best part about Joy Luck Teahouse is the fact that you can choose either the flaky puff pastry or short crust shell at one location. We loved the piping hot 'hard' crust and it's a perfect combination with the milk tea. Can't wait for the Bugis Junction outlet to open!
*Update: Joy Luck Teahouse has opened at Bugis Junction on 2 October!
Crystal Jade egg tarts, photo by @janelkuuu
Crystal Jade
Where: Westgate (04-42), Tampines Mall (B1-11)
Taste: Classic flakey crust, good pastry assortment
Crystal Jade is our regular go-to when we miss a good bowl of Cantonese-style porridge or good ol' char siew noodles.
While the short crust option is often sold at bakeries, the flakey crust is synonymous with dimsum restaurants. The flakey shells were traditionally made with lard, but now rarely the case as consumers grow increasingly health conscious.
Whenever we dine at Crystal Jade, we do enjoy ending off our meals with a sweet egg tart treat as dessert", perfectly paired with hot Chinese tea.
Tai Cheong egg tarts, photo by @thatgluttonn
Tai Cheong Bakery
Where: Raffles City Singapore (B1-58)
Taste: Buttery cookie crust, perfect wobbly filling
Another reason to love Raffles City Singapore, Tai Cheong is possibly my favourite on this list. I bought these little golden cups of custard home and savoured them both ways - warm and chilled.
Before you raise your brows and write us an angry email on the blasphemy of consuming egg tarts cold, hear me out. It's actually a pretty good hack when you're too lazy to heat up your tarts or if you've bought it a few days back. And this is only good for the short crust pastry option, a definite no-no for the flakey crust. I sometimes chill Portugese tarts too so the creamy custard caramelised filling is almost like an ice cream. Try it and tell us what you think.
Okay, back to Tai Cheong. Started in 1954, the bakery is well known for its cookie crust tarts. The custard is 'eggy' and the aroma of the butter and the perfect accompaniment to the smooth yellow filling. We love the classic egg tart and wolfed down two in one sitting.
A perfect afternoon treat with some light tea. The pretty packaging also meant it was the perfect gift for our parents when we visited over the weekends.
Tim Ho Wan egg tarts, photo by @darr3n0ng
Tim Ho Wan
Where: Plaza Singapura (01-29A, 01-52), Westgate (01-13 to 01-14)
Taste: Generous tarts at this Michelin-starred outfit
Most who head to Tim Ho Wan will definitely order their famour char siew buns, rice rolls and steamed egg cake, but don't forget to give this egg tart a try at your next visit.
We found it to be quite a nice surprise after our dimsum and gulped everything with the smooth silky milk tea.
A lovely dimsum / high tea option which did not leave a huge hole in our wallets!