Chinese Egg Tarts

Instructions

1. Prepare the pastry dough
   In a large bowl, whisk together flour, powdered sugar, and salt. Add the cold butter cubes and use a pastry cutter or your fingers to work the butter into the flour until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Mix the egg yolk with 2 tablespoons of ice water and drizzle over the flour mixture. Stir with a fork until the dough starts to come together, adding more water if needed. Form the dough into a disc, wrap in plastic, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
2. Form the tart shells
   Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Roll out the chilled dough on a lightly floured surface to about 1/8-inch thickness. Using a 3-inch round cutter, cut out circles and press them into a 12-cup muffin tin or tart molds. Prick the bottoms with a fork and place back in the refrigerator while preparing the filling.
3. Make the custard filling
   In a medium bowl, dissolve the sugar and salt in the hot water, stirring until completely dissolved. Let cool slightly. In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs until well beaten. Gradually add the cooled sugar water, evaporated milk, and vanilla extract to the eggs, whisking continuously until smooth. Strain the mixture through a fine-mesh sieve to remove any egg solids.
4. Bake the tarts
   Remove the tart shells from the refrigerator. Carefully pour the custard filling into each shell, filling them about 80% full. Bake in the preheated oven for 15-20 minutes, or until the custard is just set and the pastry is golden brown. The center should still have a slight wobble when gently shaken.
5. Cool and serve
   Allow the tarts to cool in the tin for about 5 minutes, then carefully remove them and place on a wire rack to cool completely. The custard will continue to set as it cools. The tarts can be served warm or at room temperature.