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MAKES 12 BARS

CRUST

1 cup all-purpose flour

½ cup powdered sugar

1 tablespoon minced crystallized ginger

1⁄8 teaspoon salt

½ cup (1 stick) cold unsalted butter, cut up

FILLING

1 ½ cups granulated sugar

1⁄3 cup all-purpose flour

¾ teaspoon baking powder

Pinch of salt

2 eggs plus 1 egg yolk

½ teaspoon vanilla extract

3 cups thinly sliced rhubarb (about 1 ¼ pounds)

2 tablespoons minced crystallized ginger

Hong Kong Sweet Egg Tarts

I first tasted these incredible tarts from the famous Tai Cheung bakery when I was in Hong Kong. They were introduced to the Hong Kong area by Portuguese colonists, and have become a dim sum dessert specialty. The tarts are miniature one-bite wonders of flaky pastry filled with a golden egg custard. If made with home-grown or free-range summer eggs, they have that signature golden color that makes the tart look like a fresh egg yolk surrounded by pastry. If you make these in the winter with commercial eggs, you’ll have to resort to a few drops of yellow food coloring to get the right hue.

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To make the tart shells: Combine the flour and sugar in a medium bowl. Blend in the butter with a pastry blender or your fingertips until the butter is the size of small blueberries. Stir in the beaten egg and 2 teaspoons of the water with a fork. The dough will be crumbly but should hold together when pressed with your fingers. If necessary, add additional water. Shape into a flat round, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 1 hour or until chilled.

On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough to a 1⁄8-inch thickness. Using a 3 ¼-inch round cutter, cut the dough into twelve rounds. Gather up the dough scraps and roll them out if necessary. Gently press the rounds into twelve muffin cups (the dough will come about a third of the way up the cups). Press the blunt side of a small knife around the top ¼-inch edge of each tart to make decorative indentations. Place the muffin pan in the freezer for 15 minutes to firm the dough.

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line each tart shell with foil (about 3 inches square), pressing the foil into the bottom and sides of the muffin cups. Bake for 15 minutes, or until set and the tops are light brown. Remove the foil liners and bake an additional 2 to 3 minutes, or until the tart shells are pale brown in the center. Remove the tart shells from the oven and reduce the oven temperature to 325°F. Cool on a wire rack.

To make the filling: While the tart shells bake, whisk the egg yolks and sugar together in a small bowl until blended. Whisk in the cornstarch and heavy cream until combined.

Gently remove the tart shells from the muffin cups and place on a baking sheet. Spoon off and discard any foam that has formed on top of the egg mixture and pour 1 to 1 ½ tablespoons of filling into each tart shell. (There may be some filling left over, depending on the size of the tart shells.)

Bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until the custard is slightly puffed and set. Cool on a wire rack for 12 to 15 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature. Store any leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.

NOTE

The tarts can be made up to 1 day ahead and stored in the refrigerator. To warm, heat in a 325°F oven for 3 to 5 minutes or until warm.

SERVES 12

MAKES 12 TARTS

TART SHELLS

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon sugar

6 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut up

1 egg, beaten with a pinch of salt

2 to 3 teaspoons ice water

FILLING

3 egg yolks

¼ cup sugar

1 ¼ teaspoons cornstarch

¾ cup heavy (whipping) cream

Key Lime Cream Pie with Billowy Meringue

This is the ultimate Key lime pie. The extra-tart, creamy lime filling is piled high with a delicate meringue, making this pie lighter than the traditional whipped cream–topped version. The classic crumb crust has a slightly caramelized taste from the addition of brown sugar. Use the freshest organic free-range eggs available for the meringue. They’ll whip up higher and hold the air longer than older eggs.