Air-Fried Egg Tarts: A Quick, Crispy Delight

There are many ways to make egg tarts using an air fryer, whether you're craving a savoury breakfast or a sweet dessert. For a savoury breakfast tart, you can fill puff pastry with egg, bacon, and cheese. For a sweet dessert, you can make egg custard tarts, which are a famous pastry in Portugal and Hong Kong. You can make the custard from scratch or use pre-made frozen egg tart crusts, which are available in Asian grocery stores.

Choosing the right ingredients

For the Pastry:

• Frozen puff pastry: Look for frozen puff pastry sheets in the frozen aisle of your grocery store or supermarket. You can usually find them near the frozen dumplings or other frozen pastries. This will save you time and effort in making the pastry from scratch.
• Butter: Opt for unsalted butter to brush onto your egg tart moulds or the foil containers of your frozen tarts. This will add a delicious, crispy texture to your pastry.
• Flour: A small amount of flour will be needed for dusting your work surface and rolling pin when handling the puff pastry.

For the Filling:

• Eggs: Use good-quality, fresh eggs as they are the star ingredient of your tarts. They should be at room temperature, so take them out of the refrigerator ahead of time.
• Milk: Whole milk is preferred for a richer, creamier filling. However, you can also use lower-fat milk if that's what you have on hand.
• Sugar: Regular white sugar or brown sugar can be used, depending on your preference. Brown sugar will give your tarts a caramelised flavour.
• Cream: Heavy cream or whipping cream will add a luxurious texture to your filling.
• Vanilla: A small amount of vanilla extract will enhance the egg flavour.

For the Toppings (optional):

• Cheese: Shredded or crumbled cheese can be used as a savoury topping for your egg tarts. Try cheddar, gouda, gruyere, or even softer cheeses like goat cheese or cream cheese.
• Bacon: Cooked and chopped bacon adds a salty, savoury element to your tarts. You can also substitute it with air fryer pork belly.
• Green onions and fresh herbs: These can be used as a garnish to add some colour and freshness to your dish. Chives, parsley, basil, or dill would all work well.

Preparing the egg mixture

To make the egg mixture for your egg tarts, you'll need eggs, sugar, milk, and vanilla extract. Start by cracking and whisking your eggs in a bowl. In a separate bowl, add some warm water to the sugar and mix until it's dissolved. You can also add a little warm water to your eggs to help bring them to room temperature. Just be careful not to use water that's too hot, or you'll end up with scrambled eggs! Once your sugar water has cooled down a bit, pour it into the bowl with the eggs and whisk until everything is well combined.

Next, you'll want to add your milk and vanilla extract to the egg mixture. Give it a good mix, making sure everything is well incorporated. Now, it's time to strain the egg mixture. This step is important as it helps to remove any remaining egg whites and ensures that your filling will be smooth and silky. Simply pour the mixture through a strainer or sieve.

At this point, you can also add a little cornstarch to your filling if you want to thicken it up a bit. This step is optional but can help give your egg tarts a richer, creamier texture.

Once your filling is prepared, it's time to start assembling your egg tarts!

Making the pastry

To make the pastry for your egg tarts, you'll need frozen puff pastry. You can buy pre-made egg tart crusts in the frozen aisle of Asian grocery stores, or from the bakery section of your local supermarket.

If you're making your own pastry, you'll need to cut out pieces of puff pastry using a round pastry cutter. The pieces should be about the same size as your egg tart moulds. Place the puff pastry on the egg tart mould and press lightly.

If you don't have egg tart moulds, you can use aluminium or cupcake holders.

Once you've cut out your pastry, use a fork to make small holes in the base of each egg tart. This will prevent the pastry from rising too much during cooking.

Now you're ready to fill your egg tarts!

Filling the pastry

Firstly, prepare your chosen filling. For a traditional egg custard filling, you will need eggs, sugar, and milk. You can also add warm water to help dissolve the sugar and bring the eggs to room temperature. Additionally, consider adding vanilla extract to enhance the egg flavour. If you prefer a savoury option, you can fill your pastry with eggs, bacon, and cheese.

Before filling your pastry, ensure your egg mixture is well combined and smooth. To achieve this, mix your eggs with sugar and milk, and whisk until smooth. For a custard filling, you can also add whipping cream and cornstarch to the mixture. It is important to strain the mixture to ensure a smooth and even filling.

Now it's time to fill your pastry! If using a pre-made frozen pastry shell, simply spoon the custard into the shell, leaving a small gap at the top to allow for puffing during cooking. If you are making a savoury egg tart, create a well in the centre of your pastry by cutting and pushing down the middle section. Break an egg into the well and add your desired toppings.

Once your pastries are filled, they are almost ready for the air fryer! Just remember to not overfill your pastries, as the filling may overflow during cooking.

Cooking the tarts

The following instructions detail how to make egg tarts using an air fryer. The cooking process will vary depending on the type of egg tarts you are making.

Portuguese Egg Tarts

For Portuguese egg tarts, you will need to prepare the custard before adding it to the pre-made tart shells. To do this, combine the milk, heavy cream, granulated sugar, egg yolks, and cornstarch in a heat-safe bowl and whisk until smooth. Then, cook the custard using a double boiler until it thickens, stirring constantly.

Next, prepare an ice bath and add the bowl of hot custard to it, whisking to cool the mixture and prevent lumps. Once the custard has cooled slightly, add the vanilla extract and whisk to combine.

Now, you can fill the pastry shells with the custard mixture, leaving about 5-7mm of space at the top to allow for puffing during cooking. Preheat your air fryer to 380°F (193°C) for 5 minutes, then carefully transfer the filled pastry shells to the air fryer basket.

Air fry the tarts for 10-12 minutes, or until the tops are puffed and golden. The cooking time may vary depending on your air fryer, so it is recommended to start with a lower cooking time and adjust as needed.

Chinese Egg Tarts

For Chinese egg tarts, start by whisking the eggs in a bowl until well combined. In a separate bowl, mix warm water and sugar until the sugar has dissolved, then set aside to cool. Combine the sugar mixture with the eggs, then add milk and vanilla extract, mixing well.

To ensure a smooth filling, pour the mixture through a strainer. Preheat your air fryer to 350°F, then add the egg tarts and bake for 27-30 minutes, or until the filling is cooked through. You can test this by inserting a toothpick into the filling; if it comes out clean, the tarts are ready.

Allow the tarts to cool for about 10 minutes, then remove them from the aluminum shells and place them on a wire rack to cool completely. This helps the crust stay crispy.

Breakfast Egg Tarts

For a savoury breakfast option, you can make breakfast egg tarts with puff pastry, eggs, bacon, and cheese. Start by thawing a sheet of frozen puff pastry, then cut it into rectangles. Brush each rectangle with an egg wash, then place them in the air fryer basket and cook until golden brown.

Cut a smaller rectangle within each pastry, creating a well for the egg to sit in, and push the middle of the pastry down. Place the pastries back in the air fryer basket and break an egg into each well. Top with shredded cheese and chopped bacon, then air fry until the egg whites are set and the yolks are cooked to your desired doneness.

Egg Tarts Using Frozen Prata

You can also make egg tarts using frozen prata. Simply cut the frozen prata into four pieces and place them into aluminium or cupcake holders. Poke holes in the prata with a fork, then fill each tart 3/4 full with the egg mixture.

Place the tarts in the air fryer and cook at 160°C for 20 minutes, or until they are golden brown. If the tarts are still wobbly after removing them from the air fryer, you may need to cook them for an additional few minutes.

Frequently asked questions