Egg Yolk Pastry
About This Dish
These are the kind of pastries that make you slow down and actually pay attention to what you're eating. The outside is flaky and buttery, the inside is sweet and rich, and there's this whole process of making them that's almost meditative. I first tried these at a Chinese bakery, and I was hooked. They're not too sweet, which I appreciate, and the texture is incredible—crispy on the outside, soft and crumbly on the inside. Making them at home takes some time, but it's worth it. There's something satisfying about creating layers in the pastry, about getting that perfect golden color, about biting into something you made yourself.
Flavors
Nutrition Information
Ingredients
- All-purpose flour
- Butter
- Sugar
- Salted duck egg yolks
- Red bean paste or lotus seed paste
- Egg
- Sesame seeds
- Salt
Instructions
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1
Start by preparing your egg yolks. If you're using salted duck egg yolks, steam them first for about 10 minutes, then let them cool.
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2
Make your pastry dough. Mix flour, sugar, and salt, then cut in cold butter until it looks like coarse crumbs.
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3
Add cold water gradually until the dough comes together. Wrap it and chill for at least 30 minutes.
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4
Make your oil dough separately—this is just flour and butter mixed together. This creates the flaky layers.
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5
Roll out your water dough into a rectangle. Place the oil dough in the center and fold the edges over it, like an envelope.
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6
Roll this out again, then fold it into thirds. This is called a turn. You'll do this a few times to create layers.
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7
Chill the dough between turns. This is important—the butter needs to stay cold.
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8
Divide the dough into pieces and wrap each one around a ball of red bean paste with an egg yolk in the center.
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9
Brush with beaten egg and sprinkle with sesame seeds.
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10
Bake at 350°F (175°C) for about 25-30 minutes, until golden brown and flaky.
Cooking Tips
- The key to flaky pastry is keeping everything cold. If the butter melts before baking, you won't get those layers.
- Don't skip the resting time between turns. It lets the gluten relax and keeps the butter cold.
- If you can't find salted duck egg yolks, you can use regular egg yolks, but the flavor won't be quite the same.
- These are best eaten the day you make them, but they'll keep for a couple of days in an airtight container.
Quick Summary
Wrap sweet red bean paste and salted egg yolk in a flaky pastry, then bake until golden for a perfect balance of sweet and savory.
