Made with either a puff pastry or shortcrust base, this confection
is a Hong Kong institution. gets tarted up
Crisp and light, with what seems like a million layers and a delicious baked flavour, the puff pastry base is to die for. With a rather pale custard, it's not the prettiest, but it has a delicate texture, almost like Japanese chawanmushi (steamed egg), and an obvious but not overpowering sweetness. Well worth the higher price. HK$6, 176-178 Hennessy Road, Wan Chai
This tart has a soft, pale shortcrust pastry that crumbles easily. It is clearly savoury, which creates a salty-sweet contrast with the rather sweet custard. The custard has a smooth but firm texture that seems too heavy for its fragile pastry. A crunchier base would make a more balanced tart. H K$6, 94A Electric Road, Tin Hau