Chinese Egg Tarts

Step 1

Set the oven to 400°F and wait until the indicator light tells you it has finished heating, about 10 minutes.

Step 2

Crack the 2 eggs into a small bowl, then pour in the 0.33 cup evaporated milk, 3 tablespoons sugar, 0.25 teaspoon vanilla extract, and 0.125 teaspoon salt.

Step 3

Whisk the mixture with a fork until it is uniform in color with no streaks of egg white visible, about 1 minute.

Step 4

Place the 12 pastry shells on a baking sheet or muffin tin, leaving them in the frozen state — do not thaw them first.

Step 5

Pour the custard mixture into each shell, filling it about three-quarters full — the filling should not overflow onto the pastry rim.

Step 6

Slide the baking sheet or tin into the preheated oven and bake for 12 minutes, until the tops are lightly golden brown and a fork poked into the center of the filling meets no resistance, like pressing into soft butter.

Step 7

Remove the pan from the oven using oven mitts and place it on a heat-safe surface to cool for 3 minutes before serving.