Purple Sweet Potato Egg Tarts
And just like that, we’re back from our honeymoon and dropped right into the middle of Thanksgiving madness! I was planning to share some of the Thanksgiving recipes I prepare while traveling, but then once we arrived in London and then got into our travel groove in Paris, complete with daily croissants, I decided to allow myself to truly enjoy this vacation. The recipes can wait… a little. I work on a little honeymoon recap later with more details soon, but London, Paris, and Brussels in the brisk Fall with my husband was exactly the break that I needed. Thank you, Reuben, for planning out every detail so I didn’t have to worry about a thing 🥰
Now, I’m playing some recipe catch up. If you’re still menu planning, come back everyday this week because I’ll be sharing a new recipe that would make an excellent addition to your table! When I’m getting ready for a big meal, I like to start on dessert first. It’s one of the easiest things to knock off the prep list and can keep for a while as you work on the sides and big bird. For a while I’ve told people that I’m historically not a pie person, unless it’s sweet potato pie with copious amounts of whipped cream (I can’t articulately tell you why I love sweet potato pie more than pumpkin, but I do). But then I remember that one of my truest loves in life are warm from the oven egg tarts (dan tat). They are essentially mini egg custard pies and if I was sitting at a banquet table at dim sum, I could easily polish off half a dozen of them. I also love any thing miniature, so the concept of making seasonal egg tarts sounded perfect to me.
This recipe is a variation on the Classic Egg Tarts from Mooncakes and Milk Bread. I adjust my custard filling slightly to accommodate the addition of the purple sweet potato and after a few tries, achieved a silky purple egg tart! The custard is a little richer with a delicate sweet potato flavor, and of course the deep color. If you can’t find a purple sweet potato, a classic orange sweet potato will work just fine!
See you tomorrow for the next course!
Purple Sweet Potato Egg Tarts
Makes about 16
1 lb Chinese Puff Pastry from Mooncakes and Milk Bread (or store-bought is fine, defrosted)
100g (1/2 cup) granulated sugar
150g (2/3 cup) water
2 large eggs
60g (1/4 cup) milk
60g (1/4 cup) steamed or roasted Japanese purple sweet potato*
1/2 tsp cinnamon
On a lightly floured surface, roll out the puff pastry into a 16x16-inch square. Cut out 16 4” rounds with a cookie or pastry cutter. Press the pastry rounds into the egg tart tins, making sure to press out any excess air and that the pastry comes out 1/4” past the edge of the tin. Arrange the tins on a lined baking sheet and set in the fridge or in the freezer to keep chill while you prepare the filling.
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
In a small saucepan, whisk to combine sugar and water. Bring to a simmer over medium heat and continue to simmer until the sugar has dissolved and the syrup thickens just slightly, about 3 minutes. Allow the syrup to cool for at least 10 minutes.
In a large mixing bowl, whisk to combine eggs, milk, purple sweet potato, and cinnamon until very smooth. While continuously whisking, add a little bit of the syrup at a time until fully incorporated (if the syrup is too hot, you’ll run a risk of cooking some of the egg but straining the mixture will fix that).
Set a mesh strainer over a glass measuring cup and pour the egg custard filling over the mesh. Press out as much smooth filling as you can and discard anything the strainer catches.
Pour the egg custard filling into each of the tarts. Be careful to avoid overfilling! The filling should come up to 1/2” below the edge of the pastry (the pastry shrinks in the oven). Bake for 15 minutes, the pastry should start to look flaky but still pale. Reduce the temperature to 350 degrees and continue to bake until the pastry is golden brown and the custard has a slight jiggle in the center, 20 to 24 minutes. Remove the tarts from the oven and allow them to cool for a few minutes before serving. The custard will initially look puff out of the oven, but will level out as it cools. I love a warm egg tart, but these are also great served at room temperature.
*Prepare your purple sweet potato: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Cut a few vents into your sweet potato with a paring knife. Wrap in foil and set the sweet potato on a small rimmed baking sheet. Bake in the oven until very tender, 40 to 45 minutes. Unwrap and allow the potato to fully cool before adding to the egg tart filling. You only need 1/4 cup of purple sweet potato, so use the rest for another recipe or eat as a snack with some good butter!