KUALA LUMPUR, 24 July — Why wait in line for Japanese baked cheese tarts when you can enjoy delicious egg tarts? The perennial favourite tastes just as good especially when it’s fresh out of the oven. Think light crispy layers complemented by the creaminess of the wobbly egg custard filling.

Most of the stalls use either a shortcrust or puff pastry base for their egg tarts. The shortcrust version will crumble easily when bitten into. For the puff pastry base, it’s usually made from light and fluffy layers. The secret ingredient for the light pastry is lard. Some places opt for butter instead as it’s better for health but you sacrifice the texture of the layers as it’s just a little harder than the lard version.

Just before baking, the tarts will be filled with beaten egg sweetened with syrup. This will be baked till the pastry is golden brown and the custard filling has a melt-in-the-mouth texture.

TK Bakery, 8-10, Lorong Brunei 3, Pudu, KL. Tel: 03-21429923.

Formerly known as Tong Kee Brothers Confectionery, their flaky pastry egg tarts are a favourite of many. The recipe has 46 years of history. When they first started, they sold 30 egg tarts each day. Nowadays, they sell about 10,000 egg tarts on a daily basis at their eight branches all over the Klang Valley. The secret to their flaky crust with its many layers is lard. Paired with their wobbly rich-tasting egg filling and it’s no wonder it’s been winning hearts for so long.

Tai Zi Ta Mini Egg Tarts, Jalan Bunga Tanjung 10A, Taman Muda, KL. Tel: 012-6604616

Pop one of these mini egg tarts in your mouth and it’ll be hard to stop at one especially when it’s hot from the oven. The crust is reminiscent of puff pastry and slightly harder compared to the ones made with lard. You can also enjoy these treats at Restaurant Win Heng Seng, Jalan Imbi where there’s a small stall operating. They also sell other types of pastries.

Kedai Biskut Bunn Choon, 153, Jalan Petaling, KL. Open: 10.30am to 5pm (Monday to Friday), 9am to 4pm (Saturday). Closed on Sunday.

At the old Imbi market, this stall made a big name for itself because of the fresh from the oven egg tarts that one needs to pre-order before they are baked. It is said to have been started in 1893. The original tart has a flaky soft crust made with lard. However, their custard which has a deeper yellow hue has a very light egg taste compared to the others. They also have a modern take on the traditional egg tart; a green tea version with an eye-catching black sesame charcoal crust. You can also find it at Coffee Town Imbi at Jalan Barat and ICC, Pudu.

Nam Heong Ipoh, Lot 21-22, da:mén, No.1, Persiaran Kewajiban, USJ1, Subang Jaya. Open daily: 10am to 10pm. Tel: 03-80117330

Famous in Ipoh, these egg tarts from the iconic coffee shop are now freshly baked at their first Klang Valley outlet. It follows a baking schedule that makes it easier to catch them hot from the oven. They are divine eaten straight away with the flaky multiple layers made from lard that encases a wobbly egg custard filling. Another popular item is their signature chicken sou. You can take away or dine-in to enjoy these goodies. The restaurant also serves a spread of local delicacies including their famed white coffee.

Restoran Foo Hing Dim Sum, 31G-35G, Jalan Puteri 2/6, Bandar Puteri, Puchong. Open daily: 7am to 3pm. Tel: 03-80600546

If you are hankering for Portuguese egg tarts or poh tat, as it’s known in Cantonese from Macau, here’s an easier place to get your fix... all the way in Puchong! This dim sum restaurant churns out the flaky egg tarts with a caramelised top. Get them freshly baked to enjoy them at their best — the custard egg filling is soft and melts in the mouth. You will also find that the crust is made from many layers that are browned till they are crispy. Be warned as it’s not too sweet so you may end up finishing a box of six tarts in one go! When it cools down, the tart tastes a bit sweeter.