“They’ve got the best egg tarts in town!” said Chris Patten, the last governor of Hong Kong before the handover, devouring a freshly-baked egg tart (蛋撻) at Tai Cheong Bakery. You can see how much he enjoyed the egg tart from the photo! To date, it still reminds the locals of the golden days right before the handover to China. Tai Cheong Bakery, therefore, stands as a symbol of collective memories to many.
With the crispy crust and warm egg filling, egg tart is the indisputable signature product at the bakery. But Tai Cheong is more than egg tarts. It’s a bakery opened in the 1950s that still makes some of the traditional snacks and desserts which are not commonly found in town these days.
Its dark colour may not look appealing, but the strong sesame flavour is irresistible. Black sesame is a common ingredient of local desserts and is known for its nutritious benefits to the skin, hair, and digestive system. Traditionally, the pudding comes in a cylindrical shape, just like a photo film.
The filling (salted egg yolk and lotus seed paste) is the same as a traditional moon cake but this is available all year round. Oil from the salted egg yolk is absorbed by the lotus seed paste. The savoury and sweetness complement each other. All wrapped in a thin Chinese crispy crust.
Want to skip the queue at the flagship store? Tai Cheong has recently opened a few branches throughout Hong Kong. All products are as nice as the original shop!