Hi, Sam. My late father B. K. Chu was the founder of Tai Cheong Bakery. Growing up I often helped out in the bakery. Thank you for making this video. It brings back a lot of memory.

@HongKongHoods

2 жыл бұрын

That’s amazing, thanks for watching and commenting. It really was a pleasure trying the egg tarts… which I’m sure are still made faithfully to your dad’s old recipes. Glad the video brought back memories for you!

There are dozens of local bakers across the city who bake delicious pastries and tarts, and sell egg tarts for less than HKD5,00 a pop. Some of them work in hole-in-the-wall shops with barely enough space to move. These masters have been refining their art over decades of practice, and deliver great and fresh products day in day out. They belong to our neighborhood, they make old and young happy. Residents know the time of each new batch, and queue up in front of the store to get their daily dose of pure pleasure. The best 'egg tart in the City" is a hot and endless debate. The one who talks the most, eats the least...

@HongKongHoods

2 жыл бұрын

Valid point!

Do you know that these egg tarts from Tai Cheong is one of the favorite desserts of the last British Governor of HK - Christopher Patten (1992-1997). He enjoyed eating these every time he visited Hong Kong. Personally I also love the original way more than the flaky tarts.

@HongKongHoods

2 жыл бұрын

Ah yes that’s right, thanks for the information, reassuring to know this bakery had endorsement from high places! Thanks for watching and for the great information!

@thihal123

2 жыл бұрын

Yes, I prefer the short crust over the flaky too

@YoLo-sq8kq

2 жыл бұрын

Stop being such a worshiper of authority. Who cares what he likes? Such a typical obedient Hong-Kong colonial object

Another interesting recommendation from Sam ! YES, egg tart is the most favorite snack of the people in Hong Kong. Despite over the years there are different modifications involving egg tarts, yet the very ORIGINAL egg tart that Sam was eating as his first choice here is the most unique and simple Magic tart ! Thanks Sam for reaching out to find the best egg tart shop in Hong Kong ! Cheers !

@HongKongHoods

2 жыл бұрын

Thank you for another very kind, informative comment Johnson! I'm glad you agree that these are some of the best egg tarts in Hong Kong. The HK egg tart is a truly special snack with lots of history!

I believe the custard tarts are of Portuguese origin what is known as Pastel de Nata created by monks before the 18th century. The English and French have their variations.

@HongKongHoods

2 жыл бұрын

The English custard tart actually predates the Portuguese Pastel de Nata by a few hundred years. From our research, I believe that while it is possible that the HK egg tart derived from the PdN, it’s more likely a descendent of the English custard tart.

Another delightful instalment, Sam. Shoutout also to your partner/videographer Vienne; love the viewer-friendliness and overall production quality of your work together. Hoping for a future episode on the best bowl of congee in Hong Kong. Cheers.

@HongKongHoods

2 жыл бұрын

Thanks John for another kind comment! Glad you're enjoying our videos, it means a lot to us. Congee is a great suggestion that we'll certainly look into!

Hi Sam, I love to see your videos and I am mouth watering everytime when I am watching it. Good show, good recommendation and good productions. Explore more good stuffs and good foods to us all. Thanks for the hard working 👍👍👍☺

@HongKongHoods

2 жыл бұрын

Thanks for watching Jerry and for the kind words. We’re glad this video inspired your appetite!

Oh my! They look so good. I’d love to try these. Looking forward to when you can get into the hills and show us some of the natural beauty around Hong Kong.

@HongKongHoods

2 жыл бұрын

Thanks for watching Dave, and we're certain you won't be disappointed if you try these! Thanks for the suggestion, we'll bear it in mind for future episodes. If you haven't seen it already, we show a little bit of Hong Kong's natural beauty is in the lush hills above Tsuen Wan in our Dim Sum Pt 2 episode: kzread.info/dash/bejne/rGuM0pejgJfZXdY.html

I think there's a bit more history loosely related. The English took over Hong Kong and brought custard tart influences. The Portugese took over Macau and brought over their egg tart influences. Technically, going further back I think the Portugese tart had origins from the English custard tart. Anyway, the influences in Hong Kong and Macau mixed a bit also. But Hong Kong is far more known for egg tarts.

@HongKongHoods

Жыл бұрын

I agree there's surely some overlap in the history there, as the creations are essentially very similar. I have to say I love them both!

After looking at your presentation I am already anticipating my return to Hong Kong to enjoy Egg Tart ! Mouth Watering! 👍🥚👌

@HongKongHoods

2 жыл бұрын

Thanks for watching a glad you enjoyed!

Hey Sam. This vlog was wonderful despite the size just like the egg tarts. I want to try both the versions of egg tarts at this shop on my next visit to Hong Kong. Thank you for the good work and taking us along on this beautiful culinary journey across Hong Kong. Cheers

@HongKongHoods

2 жыл бұрын

Thank you Satish, really appreciate your support and kind comments! We definitely recommend trying as many egg tarts as you can stomach on your next visit to HK!

Another great video Sam. I love the flaky ones myself. The Portuguese ones from Macau at Lord Stowe's are probably my favourite egg tart. Keep up the good work.

@HongKongHoods

2 жыл бұрын

Thanks for watching! I think the Portuguese egg tarts are an excellent choice. So pretty too!

@elaineng8035

2 жыл бұрын

@@HongKongHoods HK egg tarts with flaky base are sort of fusion food. Very “east meets west”! Love them. Yum. It’s because flaky base is used for lots of Chinese pastries.

So good to see you back on.

@HongKongHoods

2 жыл бұрын

Thanks for watching!

Freshly baked HK egg tart is my number one favorite dessert 💕💕💕. Every time I go back, it's a must have for me.

@HongKongHoods

2 жыл бұрын

Agreed, the freshly baked egg tarts are sooo good!

I was born here but Sam you really know Hong Kong like the back of your hand!😊When I have spare time, I must follow your footsteps and videos to explore HK!

@HongKongHoods

2 жыл бұрын

Thanks for watching and glad our videos are inspiring you to get out and try some of these local delicacies!

Tai Cheong is the tourist hype of course. It does live up to its hype largely. But there are many many local anonymous bakeries that are just as gd. Its quite hard to have bad egg tarts in HK really.

@HongKongHoods

2 жыл бұрын

Thanks for watching!

@Wasabi9111

2 жыл бұрын

@@HongKongHoods thanks for the history lesson. I didn’t care much for them growing up in NYC. But when I went to hk for a semester, I was so addicted to them. I miss hk food so much! Thanks for all the videos.

Yeah, Egg Tart is one of the best desserts! I am sure that you’d eaten the cocktail bun and pineapple bun too. When I was lived in Hong Kong back in late 70’s and early 80’s the cocktail bun and pineapple bun they both were 4/$1.00 either cocktail or pineapple. I don’t remember how much egg tart back then? I ate lot of egg tarts for breakfast back then too. I am so hungry for the bakery foods from Hong Kong 😋😋😋

@HongKongHoods

Жыл бұрын

Thanks for sharing your experiences Deb! The prices are a little more than that these days, but still were very cheap at this place!

@debferguson7354

Жыл бұрын

@@HongKongHoods Thank you for reply to my comment! I like it when I see the KZread video person reply to what I said directly to me . Not from others. I’ll be watching what you will be eating again lol 😂 Yeah, that was about 40 years ago everything in Hong Kong was so cheap. But now everything is so darn expensive in USA! Compare to Hong Kong still cheaper than where we live now in America.

Most bakeries use paper cases, more pliable and easier for eaters to handle. But aluminium cases are sturdier and keep the tarts' shape even when they're stacked. And I'm in Team Shortcrust, too.

@HongKongHoods

2 жыл бұрын

Thanks for the information, it's another interesting tidbit to know about egg tarts and the different ways they are sold. Go Team Shortcrust!

Great video. I am an egg tart lover. What you need with egg tarts is a cup of milk tea. They go together incredibly well.

@HongKongHoods

2 жыл бұрын

Mmm sounds delicious! Thanks for the tip!

@Multitaskertools

2 жыл бұрын

@@HongKongHoods what Nelson said, and try a glass bottle of Trappist Dairy milk (local 7-Eleven ought to have them) 👍🏻👍🏻

@Multitaskertools

2 жыл бұрын

Also you should check out Hoover Cake Shop’s egg tarts with their flaky crusts - located in Kowloon near the old airport. There’s a shop close by that has freshly made soya milk too

sam, next time try this way: 1 .use the pointer finger and Thump the pull the tray once, it is easily to raise up the tart 2. eat and if you can't eat any more user the finger push a little so make you can keep eatting it 3. if you a just buying one, I highly recommand use you plastic bag to hold the Crushed bread, you know 1500 $$ is quick expensive~ anyway, on HK island Honolulu Coffee Shop Breakhouse and one i donw know the name on Quarry Bay C Exit, they have a good egg tart I highly recomand to try also, if you beeing like a Hong Kong, try to egg tart with Milk tea, you will love it

@HongKongHoods

2 жыл бұрын

Thank you for the information, I'm sure that will help us keep our tarts intact next time! Thank you for the suggestions. We like Honolulu Coffee Shop and Bakehouse a lot! Also, Milk tea is a great idea!

Good egg tarts are like your taste buds in heaven.

@HongKongHoods

2 жыл бұрын

Agreed!

I think dessert from Hong Kong bakery is generally less sweet then a typical European or American bakery. Like when I first went to Australia, I found the sweets from the local bakery is a bit sweet to my liking and a lot of locals found that the sweets from the Hong Kong bakery is a bit bland

@HongKongHoods

2 жыл бұрын

Agreed that Hong Kong (and East Asian) sweet snacks in general are a bit loess sweet than their Western counterparts. I guess it's just different ways of doing things. Either way, I think I prefer sugar not overpowering the subtle flavours!

I miss the food! wish I could go back

@HongKongHoods

2 жыл бұрын

Hopefully travel opens up to HK again soon!

great video!

@HongKongHoods

2 жыл бұрын

Thanks!

In my old days, I think most of these Bakery used & re-used iron holders to make those egg tarts then removed and placed in light piece of design papers for sale. Right now I think they used foiled material to baked and leave it there for sale. When the egg tarts get cold, it become difficult to remove so the second one Sam going to eat probably no longer hot.

@HongKongHoods

2 жыл бұрын

Thank you for sharing your memories of egg tarts. One can still see iron holders at some places but yes it is rarer these days. The egg tart was fresh from the oven… just very crumbly!

I like the Hong Kong Style Egg Tart the most

@HongKongHoods

Жыл бұрын

Us too! Thanks for watching!

The camera man was so hungry when filming you to eat two egg tarts at once but he/she has nothing to enjoy though. 🙂 Thanks for your egg tart & waiting for your Hong Kong milk tea video soon.

@HongKongHoods

2 жыл бұрын

Thanks for watching! The camerawoman definitely enjoyed more of her share of egg tarts after filming was done for the day. Milk tea is a great suggestion!

Tai Cheong Bakery egg tarts is no doubt the best in H.K. In fact, the last British Governor Chris Patten's favorite food!! I miss this shop in Lyndhurst Terrace.

@HongKongHoods

2 жыл бұрын

Thanks for watching and for your comment Wendy! Yes indeed, we couldn’t agree more, and that is very interesting about Chris Patten! 🙏

@SO-rq3pm

Жыл бұрын

Tai Cheong used to be my favourite egg tart (cookie base) all over Hong Kong. But their quality's definitely gone really badly since a decade ago when they expanded into a 'corporate' style and opened various branches across the city, and attracted tourists queuing outside the Central shop. Perhaps they've focused more on running the business instead of the humble egg tart per se. They aren't definitely as good anymore.

Sam, can you PLEASE do a video on wonton noodles? My recommendations are Mak's Noodles, Ho Hung Kee and Tasty Congee & Noodle Wantun Shop

@HongKongHoods

2 жыл бұрын

Thanks for the suggestion and wonton noodles is a great idea! :)

@jumbokevin

2 жыл бұрын

@@HongKongHoods Excellent! I can't wait

@drunkenmonkey1887

2 жыл бұрын

Ho To Tai noodle shop in Yuen Long has a fantastic history too and can offer stories of what it was like for the earliest wonton noodle sellers in the territories.

@goingtoshanghai

2 жыл бұрын

@@drunkenmonkey1887 oh ye its nice! I've been there. The herbs and soups i use here in the netherlands comes from the place next door😁

Dude, I am salivating 👅👅👅 To go with HK milk tea, it will be heavenly 😝😝😝

@HongKongHoods

Жыл бұрын

Completely agree… a match made in heaven! 👍👍👍

I am a big fan of the flaky puff-pastry egg tarts! There are two camps of egg tart lovers so the other camp prefers the cookie-pastry egg tarts.

@HongKongHoods

2 жыл бұрын

Even though I am in the cookie- pastry camp, I certainly would never turn my nose up at the flaky crust type 🤤

홍콩 여행 얼른 가고싶다… ㅜㅜ

@HongKongHoods

2 жыл бұрын

Let's hope travel becomes easier soon!

Always serve with milk tea!

@HongKongHoods

2 жыл бұрын

Milk tea is a great suggestion!

😋😋😋👍👍👍

@HongKongHoods

2 жыл бұрын

😊😊😊😊

Hi, Sam . Give credit where credit is due! The egg tart was introduced in the Far East by the Portuguese, not British. The “Chinese” egg tart has been slightly modified to fit the Chinese taste. It’s sweetness is a little blander. Wherever you find the Chinese diaspora you will find the Pastel de Nata (egg tart).

@HongKongHoods

Жыл бұрын

From our research we found that actually, the English custard tart had appeared in Southern China for many years through trade and the opium wars, and it was this recipe that Chinese chefs riffed on when they emigrated down to Hong Kong. The English custard tart predates the Pastel de nata by at least a couple of centuries. Not saying that the history of the two isn’t intertwined (I’m sure that the Pastel de nata influenced the HK egg tart too in some way), but it is ultimately a decendant first and foremost of the English custard tart.

@SO-rq3pm

Жыл бұрын

My friend who's a food journalist echoes Sam's conclusion . He researched about it 15 years ago. Hong Kong egg tart is definitely a descendent of the English custard tart, never the portuguese version. In fact, on one in Hong Kong before 1990s had heard of portuguese or Macau egg tart. It's strange that when it comes to egg tart, portuguese style always try to claim the origin but in fact whenever people hear egg tart, they relate it to Hong Kong egg tart not the Macau or portuguese version

🤤

@HongKongHoods

2 жыл бұрын

💪🙏

short crust vs puff pastry.... that's a can of worm been opened for decades and still a heated debate.... my fav still puff pastry

@HongKongHoods

2 жыл бұрын

Haha agreed- a real hot topic of debate! I respect your puff pastry preference, despite myself being partial to the biscuit crust!

Love this place even though I'm not a big fan of these type of egg tarts. Prefer the Portuguese egg tarts. Wonder where you went after leaving Japan Guide

@HongKongHoods

2 жыл бұрын

Thanks for watching and for your comment. Yes, came to Hong Kong after life in Japan 🇯🇵 🇭🇰

Which type of蛋撻you like better? Butter crust or puff pastry one?

@HongKongHoods

2 жыл бұрын

I like the puff pastry, but I love the butter crust! How about you?

@gildasfung4092

2 жыл бұрын

@@HongKongHoods haha! i'm just the opposite, i super LOVE the puff pastry ones

@HongKongHoods

2 жыл бұрын

@@gildasfung4092 Fair enough- can't fault you there, they are delicious after all!

You should try some pungent stinky tofu in Mongkok.

@HongKongHoods

2 жыл бұрын

Thanks for watching. We covered stinky tofu in Mong Kok in this episode: kzread.info/dash/bejne/i35rkqyzfabLgtY.html

Well

@HongKongHoods

2 жыл бұрын

Thanks!

Are you sure the shortcrust is original over the puff pastry? I’ve always had the puff version growing up and remember when st honore started doing shortcrust, which I hated by the way! Just a question as I don’t know exact history of the egg tart

@HongKongHoods

2 жыл бұрын

Thanks for watching Cho, and good question. The original Hong Kong style egg tart is certainly a puff pastry crust, but Tai Cheong’s original rendition of the HK egg tart was with a shortcrust. This set them apart in the mid-50s when they opened, as they were pretty much the first in the city to widely sell egg tarts with this kind of crust!

@choshun8

2 жыл бұрын

Thanks for that. Learn something new every day. Also didn’t know about the condensed milk tea served in cha chan teng as I always had the evaporated milk ones. Always thought it was a Thai milk tea only version! Keep up the good work!

@SO-rq3pm

Жыл бұрын

I don't know how old you're but I (and my elderly at home, old Hong Kong) growing up with shortcrust only. Back in those days no one has ever seen a 'puff base' egg tart in the market. Your recall of the St. Honore is correct - that's in the 1990s when the group started their chained business (which suggests you're pretty young). But puff base egg tarts were never popular until 1990s onwards.

@choshun8

Жыл бұрын

@@SO-rq3pm don’t want to start an egg tart war! I didn’t grow up in HK but was always back for annual holidays and always had Chinese lard based puff as an egg tart shell in the restaurants. My dad was a dim sum chef and having loved to the UK back in the 60’s, I’ve grown up eating his egg tarts which would have had the shell that was current in HK at the time and they were puff.

@SO-rq3pm

Жыл бұрын

@@choshun8fair enough. Your reference to dim sum is a good point. In fact dim sum places also serve egg tart but never do we have puff based egg tart there - only cookie based tart is served in dim sum places. Given the long history of dim sum (cha lau), I suspect cookie version is the norm decades ago but you're right that there might be puff ones available, just they might be rarely seen.

C'mon, we all know the "best egg tart" is the one you buy from your local.

@HongKongHoods

2 жыл бұрын

Interesting point!

@kennychwk

2 жыл бұрын

oh yea, hot and Crumbly is more important of the egg tart, the immediate baking is the best

The tai chong bakery has been closed at TST star ferry pier

@HongKongHoods

Жыл бұрын

Thanks for the info!

Did you go in again to buy some more 😄

@HongKongHoods

2 жыл бұрын

Haha yes, to take home to eat later!

I am a native of Hong Kong. I know that he is not the best, but he has a reputation. Not many real Hong Kong people will buy his products.

@HongKongHoods

2 жыл бұрын

Too bad you feel this way- many locals rave about these tarts!

Sam, you look like Norm MacDonald!

@HongKongHoods

2 жыл бұрын

Thanks, always thought young Norm was really good looking! Rest his soul 😢

Hong Kong egg tart is adapted from PASTEIS DE NATA from Macau

@HongKongHoods

2 жыл бұрын

The pasteis de nata is actually not Macanese, but originated in Portugal in the 1700s. According to our research, the Macanese egg tart came about as a fusion between this and the English custard tart, and was launched (ironically by British pastry chef Lord Stow) in Macau 1989, which is decades after the emergence of the HK egg tart in the 1940s. It's possible that the HK egg tart is a direct descendant of the Portuguese pasteis de nata as these most likely would have appeared in Macau prior to both of the above with the Portuguese presence. But, going off the longer history of the English custard tart (dating back to the late medieval period) and the fact that British traders had a presence in China long before the invention of the Portuguese pasteis de nata, we think the prevailing theory that the HK egg tart was indeed the descendant of the English custard tart, is more likely.

@emiriebois2428

2 жыл бұрын

@@HongKongHoods . Your theory since to be very ethnocentric?!

@SO-rq3pm

Жыл бұрын

no one in Hong Kong has heard of the Macau egg tart before 2000s. Hong Kong egg tart is definitely a transformation of the British custard tart.

Original for me

@HongKongHoods

2 жыл бұрын

Agreed!

why didnt you order any for Vn? 🤭 (Jos)

@HongKongHoods

2 жыл бұрын

I did… but then I accidentally ate them all before I got home 😆

Green tea egg tarts? Durian egg tart?

@HongKongHoods

Жыл бұрын

There are many kinds!

I ate hk style egg tarts today 0:55

@HongKongHoods

Жыл бұрын

Hope you enjoyed it!

@Trainandfoodlover8381

Жыл бұрын

I ate cookie puff pastry egg tart

Tai Cheong’s Sha Yong is much better than their egg tart!!

@HongKongHoods

2 жыл бұрын

Thanks for the tip

Puff pastry all the way. For my taste, short crust just doesn't eat very well. Same with pies.

@HongKongHoods

2 жыл бұрын

Fair enough!

the cookie-based one is more healthier

@HongKongHoods

2 жыл бұрын

Delicious too!

Are you feeling well? Your lips seem a bit pale on this video. Your vids are great. I miss HK and my in-laws😓. Thanks COVID for that🤬

@HongKongHoods

2 жыл бұрын

Thanks for watching and for the kind words! Really? Yes, feeling quite well- might have just been the way the sunlight was hitting my lips! Also agreed, the current travel situation is a real pain!

I can inhale 3 flaky egg tarts when they are warm.

@HongKongHoods

2 жыл бұрын

Haha us too, such an incredible sweet snack!

it's from Portugal not England

@HongKongHoods

Жыл бұрын

It’s from neither. It derived from an English egg tart though. I think you’re thinking of a Portuguese egg tart, or pastel de nata, which is from Portugal, and commonly found in Macau.

Not gonna lie man…. KFC does it decent over there and in GZ.

@HongKongHoods

2 жыл бұрын

I guess fast food chains aren’t all bad!

@scottdelaney2137

2 жыл бұрын

@@HongKongHoods I couldn’t believe it, I’ve had egg tarts from Liverpool china town to Vancouver to Hong Kong to Guangzhou and KFCs was pretty good haha. I showed my mum (Cantonese Canadian) your channel and she loves that you’re really getting into the old vendors and what’s unique to Hong Kong before it’s gone. We were there in 2016 and I can’t wait to get back… hopefully soon. Love the content 👍🏻

Thanks for sharing ,but this is NOT the best egg tart in HK , it's common

@HongKongHoods

10 ай бұрын

Thanks for the comment- what would you say is the best?

Mate , that's not the best. Try my best egg tart instead ! Step 1 : live in hong kong like i do . Step 2 : buy all of the egg tarts in hong kong . Step 3 : blend them and bake them at 150 degrees at Celsius for 20 minutes , put them in a paper bowl. And there you have it, THE BEST EGG TART IN THE WORLD !!

@HongKongHoods

7 ай бұрын

🤣 amazing advice mate- can’t believe I didn’t think of it! The law of averages is at play here somewhere very strongly

English? Portugese ?!

@HongKongHoods

2 жыл бұрын

Maybe even Cantonese!

Egg tart ain't english food. it's Portuguese.

@HongKongHoods

2 жыл бұрын

They actually derive from the English custard tart, which predates the pastel de nata by a few hundred years.

I like your content but dislike your use of "Hong KongER" as it comes across political.

@HongKongHoods

Жыл бұрын

Thanks for watching and glad you’re enjoying the videos! “Hongkonger” is just the demonym of Hong Kong, just like “New Yorkers”, or “Londoners”

@thelearner911

Жыл бұрын

@@HongKongHoods Perhaps for other cities and countries but certainly not HK. To me, an old school citizen living in HK, Hong Konger is a political synonym adopted/used by the anti-government establishment. Anyway, we could argue all day about it but let's not.

@SO-rq3pm

Жыл бұрын

@@thelearner911 The term itself is Apolitical - it's you yourself who infuses it with personal political meaning. Would anyone think 'New Yorker' or 'Londoner' carries a political meaning? Claiming yourself 'old school citizen' doesn't give you any credibility on philology.

@SO-rq3pm

Жыл бұрын

@@thelearner911 plus, there is nothing wrong with being 'anti-government', especially one that is totalitarian!

That egg tart looked terrible - too much artificial colouring added. Great egg tarts should be flaky, natural yellow in colour, not bright bright yellow

@HongKongHoods

2 жыл бұрын

Hard disagree. They looked, smelled and tasted absolutely delicious.