Penang is famous for its delicious egg tarts, which are a popular snack and dessert among locals and tourists. Egg tarts originate from Portugal but have become an integral part of Penang’s food culture. They consist of a flaky pastry crust filled with an egg custard that is sweet, silky smooth, and rich. While many shops and bakeries in Penang offer egg tarts, the best is a hotly contested title. This article explores some of the top contenders for the best egg tart in Penang based on taste, texture, price, popularity and local recommendations. A clear winner is hard to determine as individual preferences vary, but this list provides a helpful guide to finding an exceptional egg tart in Penang.
What Makes a Good Egg Tart?
So what exactly makes for an excellent egg tart? Here are some of the key factors:
– Flaky, crispy pastry – The crust should be crispy and flaky, without being too thick, dry or tough. This takes skill to create the many paper-thin layers.
– Silky smooth custard – The filling should be soft, silky, wobbly and not too firm. It should be sweet but not overly sugary.
– Freshly baked – The best egg tarts are baked fresh in small batches throughout the day. A freshly baked tart will have a melt-in-your-mouth warmth.
– Balanced flavors – The custard filling and crispy shell should balance and complement each other. Neither should overwhelm.
– Quality ingredients – Egg yolks, milk and sugar are the minimal ingredients. Using real eggs and full cream milk makes a difference.
Popular Egg Tart Shops in Penang
Penang has no shortage of bakeries and shops selling egg tarts, from hole-in-the-wall vendors to established brands. Here are some of the most well-known destinations:
– Ming Xiang Tai – This bakery with multiple locations is famed for its homemade recipes and traditional baking methods. Their tarts are flaky with a silky smooth custard.
– Toh Soon Café – A classic café selling egg tarts freshly baked on the premises as well as coffee, tea and snacks.
– Haowangjia Bakery – Specializing in Hokkien-style pastries, this shop is known for tarts with delicate crusts and lightly sweet egg custard.
– Teik Seng Restaurant – An old school restaurant selling Chinese bakery items including freshly baked egg tarts with melt-in-your-mouth custard.
– Kimberley Street Night Market – Many hawker stalls at this popular night market offer egg tarts, look for Annie’s Egg Tarts stall.
Top Contenders for Best Egg Tart in Penang
Based on popularity, recommendations and acclaim, here are 5 top contenders for the best egg tart in Penang:
1. Ming Xiang Tai
Ming Xiang Tai is consistently ranked as one of the best egg tart sources in Penang. They have multiple locations including across the street from Queensbay Mall. Their tarts feature a perfectly flaky and lightly browned crust that cracks to reveal a smooth and creamy egg custard center. The filling has a nice silky finish without being overly sweet. Each tart is freshly baked throughout the day in small batches. Priced around RM2 per tart, they offer great value. Ming Xiang Tai tarts have earned a devoted local following.
2. Toh Soon Café
This classic café on Lebuh Campbell is a favorite stop for egg tarts and coffee. Their tarts feature a buttery crust that flakes apart to showcase the sweet and creamy custard center. With a recipe perfected over decades, their tarts have a wonderful homemade taste. They are especially known for baking them fresh daily in small batches so that customers get them warm and right out of the oven. Priced affordably at around RM2 each, Toh Soon Café tarts are definitely contenders for best in Penang.
3. Komtar Food Court Stalls
The food court stalls in the basement of Komtar shopping complex include several excellent options for egg tarts. Look for Kim Poh Egg Tart, Weld Quay Taro Puff and Chuan Kee Egg Tart stalls. All make fresh bakes throughout the day. Weld Quay has flakier crusts, Kim Poh has thicker custards while Chuan Kee strikes a nice balance between the two textures. With an average price of RM1.80 per tart, you can sample a few different kinds without breaking the bank. The setting may be basic but these stall’s tarts are baked with care.
4. Haowangjia Bakery
Specializing in Hokkien and Hainanese pastries, Haowangjia puts their own spin on egg tarts. Their tarts have a pastry shell that is less flaky but still delicate and buttery. Where they stand out is the lightly sweetened egg custard filling made with quality ingredients. The consistency is wonderfully smooth and silky. haowangjia offers smaller individual tarts for around RM2 each that make a great afternoon treat with tea or coffee.
5. Teik Seng Restaurant
For an old school experience, head to Teik Seng Restaurant which has been serving egg tarts and other baked goods since the 1950s. Their traditional approach shines through in the simple but delicious egg tarts. With a shell that is a touch thicker than some others, it flakes off to reveal a sweet and creamy interior with a natural egg flavor. Teik Seng tarts are affordably priced and immensely satisfying for those seeking a nostalgic treat.
Comparing the Top Contenders
Here is a summary table comparing some key factors around the top 5 egg tart contenders in Penang:
| Shop | Crust | Custard | Price (RM) | Acclaim |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ming Xiang Tai | Flaky, crispy | Silky smooth | 2 | Most popular |
| Toh Soon Café | Flaky, buttery | Sweet, creamy | 2 | Long-standing favorite |
| Komtar Stalls | Varies | Varies | 1.80 | Cheap but quality |
| Haowangjia | Delicate | Smooth, silky | 2 | Unique style |
| Teik Seng | Thick, flaky | Sweet, creamy | 1.50 | Old school favorite |
Key Takeaways
– There is no unanimous choice for the single best egg tart in Penang, personal preferences vary.
– Certain shops like Ming Xiang Tai and Toh Soon Café stand out for their popularity, consistency and quality.
– Smaller vendors should not be overlooked, as many deliver excellent egg tarts from no-frills settings.
– The balance between a crisp pastry shell and smooth, lightly sweet custard is what defines a good egg tart.
– Freshly baked and still warm tarts are ideal for the best texture and flavor.
How Are Egg Tarts Made?
To understand what goes into making a perfect egg tart, here is an overview of the process:
Ingredients
Egg tarts require just a few main ingredients:
– Eggs – The key component is fresh whole eggs for a rich flavor and creamy texture. Egg yolks are sometimes used alone.
– Milk – Full fat milk provides an extra creamy and smooth base for the custard. Condensed milk is also commonly used.
– Sugar – White sugar adds sweetness to balance the egg flavor. Granulated or fine sugar is preferred.
– Flour – All-purpose flour makes up the pastry dough along with butter or shortening.
– Butter – Butter gives flakiness and flavor to the pastry. Margarine or shortening can substitute.
Making the Dough
The pastry dough begins by mixing together flour, chilled butter or shortening, a small amount of sugar, and just enough cold water to bring it together into a smooth ball. The dough is kneaded briefly, then chilled for at least 30 minutes. This allows the gluten in the flour to relax, preventing toughness.
Rolling Out the Dough
The chilled dough is rolled out on a floured surface to about 1/8 inch thickness. Circles are cut out to fit muffin tins or specialty tart molds. The dough circles are gently eased into the molds.
Blind Baking the Shells
Before adding the custard, the tart shells are partially or fully baked. Weights like dried beans or pie weights are added to prevent puffing. This step is called blind baking. It cooks the dough partially or fully to ensure a crisp shell.
Making the Custard
While the shells bake, the custard filling is prepared. Eggs and sugar are beaten together until light and fluffy. Hot milk, and sometimes condensed milk, is gradually tempered in to prevent curdling. The custard is strained for a silky consistency.
Baking the Tarts
Once the shells are baked, the custard filling is poured in. The tarts return to the oven at a lower temperature to bake until just set, but still wobbly. This prevents overcooking and preserves the smooth texture.
Cooling and Serving
After baking, the tarts are cooled briefly before serving. They should be served warm or at room temperature. The sugar will crystallize if chilled. The best way to enjoy them is fresh from the oven!
Where to Find Egg Tart Classes in Penang
For those keen to learn the art of egg tart making from the experts in Penang, here are some cooking class options:
Nazlina Spice Station
This popular cooking school right in the heart of George Town offers hands-on classes in making egg tarts and other local favorites. The class walks through all the steps from dough preparation to baking. They keep the class size intimate for individual attention. Classes include takeaway recipes and tarts.
La Cucina Cooking School
Also located in George Town, this school hosts small group classes for learning to make egg tarts and other Penang street food. Their experienced instructors share professional tips on technique. The classes give a comprehensive understanding of the whole process.
Penang Homecooking School
Run by culinary author Lee Geok Boi, these classes delve deep into Penang’s food heritage. Lee teaches traditional methods for making egg tart pastry and filling. Students also get to tour Hong Kong Street’s famous bakeries.
Golden Sands Resort by Shangri-La
For a resort-based class, Golden Sands offers cooking lessons that include egg tarts along with other Penang nyonya specialties. Their chefs demonstrate age-old techniques that students then practice hands-on.
The Habitat Penang Hill
Up on Penang Hill, this cooking school hosts small classes in their open kitchen studio. Their egg tart lessons focus on balancing flavors and textures for the perfect tart. Aprons and recipes are provided as takeaways.
Expert Tips for Making Egg Tarts at Home
For those keen to bake their own egg tarts at home, here are some expert tips for success:
– Use room temperature ingredients for the custard – eggs, milk and butter should not be cold.
– Bake the tart shells first before adding custard to prevent a soggy bottom.
– Dust the dough with flour and chill it well to make it easier to handle when rolling out.
– Roll the dough out evenly to about 1/8 inch thickness – too thick will prevent flakiness after baking.
– Don’t overbake the tarts once the custard is added, they should still wobble when gently shaken.
– For a smooth custard, strain it through a fine mesh sieve after mixing to catch any bits of egg.
– Let the baked tarts cool for 5-10 minutes before removing from pans to finish setting.
– Store any leftovers in the fridge but bring back to room temperature before serving to enjoy the ideal texture.
The Perfect Egg Tart Experience in Penang
Here are some recommendations for where and how to have the ideal egg tart experience in Penang:
– Go to Ming Xiang Tai on Burmah Road – queue up early to get the tarts warm and fresh from the oven in the morning.
– Get a variety box of tarts from Komtar food court to sample the range of styles side by side.
– Sit down with coffee and tarts at Toh Soon Café to soak in the nostalgic atmosphere.
– Take a baking class through Penang Homecooking School and learn tricks from egg tart masters.
– Shop at Haowangjia Bakery for unique Hokkien-style bakes to take home.
– Stop by Teik Seng Restaurant first thing in the morning when batches are hot out of the oven.
– Share a box of egg tarts with friends along Gurney Drive as an afternoon snack.
– Visit the night market on Kimberley Street and taste egg tarts from the hawker stalls.
So go forth and enjoy discovering your own favorite egg tart in Penang! From traditional bakes to innovative new takes, a sublime tart is never hard to find.
Conclusion
Penang’s egg tarts live up to their reputation as some of the best in Malaysia and even Asia. The island offers a huge range spanning street side vendors to upscale bakeries. While personal preference plays a big role, Ming Xiang Tai, Toh Soon Café and the Komtar food court stalls are certainly among the top contenders. Whatever your tastes, sampling egg tarts across Penang is an enjoyable way to experience local culture and cuisine. Mastering baking these iconic tarts yourself also brings immense satisfaction. Freshly baked and still warm, a perfect egg tart is a delight to all the senses.
