my tokyo kitchen

I’m an enormous fan of egg tarts & baked custards of all kind, so I’m always happy to see this little number pop up on store shelves when it’s “in season”…

❤︎

Though I’ll be the first to tell absolutely-no-one-who-cares about my unquenchable, long-running true love of Hong Kong egg tarts, they are sadly a bit difficult to come by where I live…and even more so if you rarely leave the house.

I used to be pretty squeamish about eggs, only eating them scrambled at breakfast, and far past the point they should be cooked. I always loved pudding, but mostly in cup form, and probably containing more preservatives and thickeners than actual eggs. As a matter of fact, until I went to culinary school, I never really thought about how most of my beloved treats were set with eggs, and my tastes had a sea change.

I still find uncooked egg whites grosser than gross, but I have much more respect for the egg as a whole…especially the yolk!

Back to egg tarts, I discovered this little minx some years back, and was sad when it suddenly disappeared. As many people who live in Japan know, it’s all too easy to fall in love with a snack or drink, only to have it ripped away from you at a moment’s notice.

While the above Fuji Pan Nama Egg Tart shares little in common with my beloved Hong Kong egg tart (this one has a crumbly crust; a more solid, almost cake-like custard filling; and it’s much sweeter) if you like “custard” style snacks—meaning things where eggs are the predominant binding ingredient, such as flans, crème brûlée, cheesecake, pudding, etc.—I think you’ll enjoy this pre-made egg tart.

Give it a try while it’s “in season,” and let me know what you think! Or comment below to tell me your favorite custard or pudding or egg-based dish!