The Making of Ipoh Famous Egg Tarts

After visiting the kitchen of Choy Kee Bakery in Kampung Simee, I can't stop thinking about the bakery and their products especially their signature pastry, which is also my favourite pastry, egg tarts! I can't help but fall in love with the kitchen (not the pastry sifu). I am currently making my weekly pilgrimage to Choy Kee to watch the making of egg tarts. 

Stack of pastry skin.

The pastry skin being neatly pressed into the pastry mould.

The pastry chef pouring the egg custard mixture into the crust.

The finished products - freshly baked egg tarts with piping hot wobbly custard.

Bought some tarts and rushed all the way to Sin Yoon Loong for their famous white coffee.

Best Chinese Egg Tarts and Coffee Pairing

CHOY KEE BAKERY

218, Lebuh 3 Simee,

31400 Ipoh, Perak.

Malaysia.

Tel: +605-545 4351

Business hours: 11.00 a.m. - 7.00 p.m.

Closed on Mondays.

Behind the Scenes

Don't sigh or close the tab when you see egg tarts in my new post again. I am neither showing you the stall nor their branch again, as you might suggest, over and over again. This post is about the making of egg tarts. Pam the adventurer, bearing the risk of being beaten up or kicked in the backside, sneaking into the kitchen of Choy Kee Bakery just to get a glimpse of the fantastic skills of the egg tart maestro, and of course, feeling honoured for being able to share this with everyone. Don't worry, my buttocks are fine, safe and sound. My arrival was much welcomed by the maestro because he could recognise me as his first customer who arrived at the bakery as early as 6.30 a.m. on the sixth day of Chinese New Year, when the bakery reopened after a 5-day break in conjunction of Chinese New Year celebration. That's what we call DIE HARD FAN!!!

The egg tart maestro filling each crust with just the right amount of custard mixture.

Handled with much perseverance, passion and patience.

Pouring out skilfully without spilling a drop and leaving a trace...

When they are baked...

Unmolding the tarts is seriously not a layman's job.

A Simple Egg Tart Equation

Skilful pouring + unmolding = A perfect looking egg tart ready to be served.

Of course I can never stop at one... One is never enough. What about you?

CHOY KEE BAKERY

218, Lebuh 3 Simee,

31400 Ipoh, Perak.

Malaysia.

Tel: +605-545 4351

Business hours: 11.00 a.m. - 7.00 p.m.

Closed on Mondays.

Stall:
Simee Morning Market
Jalan Pasar,
Kampung Simee,
31400 Ipoh, Perak.
Malaysia.

Bercham Branch:
No. 37, Persiaran Bercham Timur 1,
Taman Bercham Baru,
31400 Ipoh, Perak.
Malaysia.
Tel: +605-536 2528

Menglembu Branch:
114, Ground floor,
Jalan Besar Menglembu,
31450 Menglembu, Perak.
Malaysia.
Tel: +605-281 2766

Afternoon Tea @ Sin Yoon Loong

On one of those food-craving days, Mum and I enjoyed this old comfort afternoon tea at Sin Yoon Loong, which is probably the oldest coffee shop in town.

The afternoon tea spread

Kg Simee Choy Kee Bakery Egg Tarts @ RM1.20 each

Sin Yoon Loong White Coffee @ RM1.40

Kaya Butter Toast made over charcoal fire @ RM1.60 per set

SIN YOON LOONG

Jalan Bandar Timah, 

30000 Ipoh, Perak.

Malaysia.

Sharing moments

Just want to share some lovely afternoon treats with everyone out there. If you're a fan of afternoon tea and need some ideas on what to serve for afternoon tea, feel free to adopt the ideas below. 

Chocolate croissant @ RM10.90 per box of six

 

Double Chocolate Swiss Roll @ RM12 per loaf

 

Egg Tart @ RM1.50 and Foo chook tong sui @ priceless

Autumn Stroll in Hong Kong - Tai Cheong Bakery 泰昌餅家

Tai Cheong egg tarts (泰昌蛋撻) are made popular by the ex-governor of Hong Kong, Chris Patten, who loves egg tarts more than anything else. He once praised the egg tart of Tai Cheong as ‘The Most Famous Egg Tart in Hong Kong”. Unlike the flaky pastry egg tarts sold in most dim sum joints, Tai Cheong's  version has a more buttery texture which resembles cookies. It is believed that egg tarts encased in cookie pastry is closely related to the British egg custard tart. 

I love Tai Cheong's egg tarts because of its pastry. Owing to its popular demand, their tarts are snapped by dozens within minutes the moment they are delivered from the kitchen. It is also not unusual to fins a long queue in front of the shop, all waiting to buy their fresh and hot egg tarts. 

This is of course my third visit to Tai Cheong. I guess I am going to make my yearly pilgrimage to Tai Cheong. Well, for something which is too good to miss, why not?

Previous entries: December 2009 & March 2011 

Tai Cheong Bakery
泰昌餅家

Another Tai Cheong Bakery in Wanchai

The delicate tarts are gently placed inside the glass shelf.

Tai Cheong Egg Tart @ HK$5

Tai Cheong Bakery
Ground floor, 35 Lyndhurst Terrace,

Central, Hong Kong.

Tel: (852) 2544 3475

Autumn Stroll in Hong Kong - Honolulu Cafe

I woke up as early as 6 and hopped on the tram which took me to Wan Chai. Hong Kong is never a quiet place. The Hongkies are probably the most hardworking Chinese on earth. They grow up in a hustle, bustle, rush and roar city, being so used to rushing from one place to another. 24 hours seems to be too short for those who dash in and out for a living. Travelling by tram is truly an eye-opening experience as I got to see how people work hard in a harsh and competitve environment just to make ends meet.

Honolulu Cafe is located in Wan Chai. There are two signature items which sell like hotcakes starting from 6 in the morning till midnight. They are the inseparable pair – Coffee and Egg Tart. They are so good that even the Hongkies are willing to sacrifice their precious sleeping hours jut to come here to enjoy their breakfast. Speaking as a tourist, Honolulu coffee and egg tart are the type of food worth coming for over and over again irrespective of how many times you visit the country. Speaking as a faithful die-hard coffee and egg tart lover,  this was already my third time enjoying the wonderful treats. (December 2009 & March 2011)

Honolulu Cafe
檀島咖啡餅店

Egg Tarts

Cocktail buns

Polo buns

Coconut buns

Assorted cakes, Swiss rolls and muffins

The beverage bar

The menu

Honolulu's signature Egg Tarts @ HK$ 6

檀島蛋撻

Honolulu's signature coffee @ HK$15
檀島咖啡

Pam's perfect breakfast, till the end... :)

Honolulu Coffee Cake Shop
檀島咖啡餅店

Ground floor and Mezzanine floor, 176 - 178, 

Hennessy Road,

Wanchai, Hong Kong.

Tel: (852) 25751823

Business hours: 6.00 a.m. - 12.00 a.m.

Autumn Stroll in Macau - Lord Stow's Bakery & Cafe

Lord Stow's Bakery and Cafe is famous for one item - Andrew's Egg Tart. Andrew's original recipe egg tart became well knownbeyond their territorial confines, attracting a faithful following, becoming almost a trademark of Macau. The late Andrew got his inspiration for this Macanese delicacy from the popular Portuguese dessert Pasteis de Nata - a kind of egg tart, which, centuries ago, had its origins in the Lisbon waterfront area of Belem. His creation, however, is slightly different from the Portuguese version as his products come with a little English touch. 

Lord Stow's Bakery & Cafe @ The Venetian Macao Resort Hotel

Displaying trays of fresh Portuguese egg tarts

Espresso @ MOP$20

Andrew's Egg Tart @ MOP$8

The creamy custard not only melts in your mouth, but also your heart...

Lord Stow's Bakery & Cafe

Shop 2119a

Marco Polo District

The Grand Canal Shoppes

The Venetian Macao Resort Hotel

Macau

Tel: (853) 2886 6889

Operating hours: 10.00 a.m. to 11.00 p.m.