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1
HK STYLE — Make the lard short-crust. Rub cold lard into sifted flour and icing sugar until the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs. Add cold water, a little at a time, and press to a smooth dough. Wrap and rest in the refrigerator until firm — the dough should hold its shape when pressed without crumbling.
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2
Press the pastry into 12 individual tart tins, bringing the pastry evenly up the sides to a uniform thickness. Chill for 15 minutes. The raw shells should be pale, even, and without cracks.
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3
Make the HK custard. Dissolve the caster sugar in warm water, then allow to cool. Combine with the beaten whole eggs and evaporated milk. Pass the mixture through a fine-mesh sieve — this step is where the dish lives or dies: any trace of coagulated egg protein or undissolved sugar will produce an uneven, lumpy set in the finished tart.
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4
Pour the strained custard into the chilled pastry shells, filling to within 3 mm of the rim. Bake at 160 °C for 20 minutes. The custard is ready when the edges are just set and the centre retains a distinct, slow wobble when the tin is gently nudged.
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5
Turn the oven off. Leave the tarts inside for a further 5 minutes without opening the door. This residual heat sets the custard fully without the surface cracking. Remove and cool briefly on a rack — the surface should be pale yellow, smooth, and unbroken.
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6
MACANESE STYLE — Roll puff pastry and line 12 tart tins. Whisk egg yolks, caster sugar, and double cream together until the sugar dissolves. Strain through a fine sieve into a jug. Pour into the pastry shells. Bake at 160 °C for 18 minutes until the edges are set, then raise the heat to 220 °C for a final 3–4 minutes. The custard is done when the top shows patches of deep amber caramelisation and the centre still has a gentle tremble.
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7
Serve both styles immediately from the oven. Dan tat deteriorates within 30 minutes as the pastry absorbs moisture from the custard.