Purple Yam Egg Tarts 紫薯蛋挞

【Purple Yam Egg Tarts】
by MaomaoMom

Chinese Dim Sum restaurants serve puff pastry treats such as the famous airy flaky egg tarts, which are my son’s favorites. Traditionally, Chinese puff pastry dough is made from lard and flour.

Meal type: dessert
Prepare time: 60 minutes
Cook time: 20 minutes
Level: Medium
Yield: 12 servings

Ingredients:

Puff pastry:
1) ¾ cup unsifted all purpose flour (120g), 1.5 tbsp fine sugar (21g), 3 tbsp lard (45g) diced;
2) 1 extra large egg yolk, beaten with 2 tbsp water (30 g);
3) 1/3 cup unsifted cake & pastry flour (55g), 3 tbsp lard (45g).

Filling:
4) 1 small purple yam peeled and diced (net weight 90g), 1 tbsp water.
5) 1 tbsp condensed milk, 3 tbsp sugar (42g), 1 cup milk (240g);
6) 2 extra large eggs, beaten.

Directions:

Dough:
1: Place all ingredients of Ingredient 1) in a bowl and mix well with a fork. Add diced lard (Picture 1), work lard into flour using your fingers or a pastry blender until the mixture become crumbs (Picture 2). Pour in Ingredient 2) (Picture 3) and combine with a fork (Picture 4). Transfer to a floured surface and knead for a couple of minutes until form smooth dough (Picture 5). Cover with plastic wrap and let it rest for 20 minutes.

Oil paste:
2: Combine all ingredients of Ingredient 3) in a small container (Picture 5). Work lard into flour using your fingers or a pastry blender until well combined (Picture 6). Cover and set aside.

3: While waiting for the dough, place diced purple yam (Picture 7) and 1 tbsp water in a microwavable bowl (Picture 8). Microwave for 3-4 minutes until fully cooked.

Puff pastry:
4: On a floured surface, knead the dough a few times and then roll out into an oval about 30 cm long, then smooth on oil paste (Picture 9). Fold the dough twice: fold the bottom third up and the top third down (Picture 10). Turn 90 deg., press down and roll out into a 4-mm thick rectangle (Picture 11). Again, fold the bottom third up and the top third down (Picture 12). If dough becomes too soft, chill for 15 minutes in the fridge.

5: Roll the dough out into 3-mm thick rectangle. Fold three times (Pictures 13-14). Roll the dough out into a 36×15 cm rectangle. Use a 3-inch round cookie cutter to cut out 10 circles (Picture 15). Place them into the tart molds (Picture 16), and press with your fingers (Picture 17). Combined the trimmed off dough pieces and make two 3-inch circles and line the last two tart molds. Place all tart molds on a baking sheet. Preheat oven to 400F/205C.

Egg custard filling:
6: Place all ingredients of Ingredient 4) in a small saucepot (Picture 18), stir and cook over medium heat until sugar dissolves. Pour in the beaten egg while stirring (Picture 19). Sift the mixture through a sieve (Picture 20).

Assemble the egg tarts:
7: Divide purple yam evenly into 12 molds (Picture 21). Slowly pour in the egg custard filling, to about 3 mm below the brim of each tart (Picture 22). Bake at 400F/205C for 18-20 minutes. Give the baking sheet a little shake and the egg custard should gently wobble. Remove from the oven and let it cool before serving.

Tips: Leftover egg tarts can be stored in airtight containers in the fridge for up to 4 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months. Prior to serving, bake for 6 minutes at 350F.

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