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Those who are familiar with the Eastern part of Malaysia, particularly Sabah, may know about the existence of the cow dung tart (ahem), I mean UFO tart. You can now swing by Sabah Sandakan UFO TART at Hong Lim Market & Food Centre to try Sandakan’s traditional dessert.
I know, I know. Some of you may be raising an eyebrow, but let me kindly address the elephant in the room — it’s not actual cow faeces. Because of its resemblance to a extra terrestrial’s spacecraft, this heritage dessert was renamed ‘UFO tart’ to make it sound more appealing to the masses.
Let me bore you with a little history lesson, if you don’t mind. The UFO tart was actually created back in 1955 by a Hainanese baker named Fu Ah On (符和安). While he was focused on his usual routine, he forgot the tarts in the oven, causing them to scorch on top. Much to his surprise, the scorched tarts tasted incredible, and when he shared samples, people were instantly obsessed. That was how it became a traditional dessert in Sandakan, Sabah.
Run by 2 ladies from Sabah, Victoria and Ying Ying, this barely 1-week-old stall freshly crafts the tarts in-house on a daily basis. If you’re thinking, “Why’s the stall’s name so darn familiar?” (I had the same thought), it turns out that Victoria is actually the wife of Max, who owns Meijing Sabah Sandakan Fried Pork Noodles just across.
Max shared with me that in Sabah, there are 2 kinds of bases used for the tart — bread and cake. The version here uses the latter, which is then topped with freshly-whipped meringue and then piped with fresh custard or pandan.
Max recommends consuming the tarts 1 to 2 hours after purchase to ensure you get the best possible flavour and texture experience.
Sabah Sandakan UFO TART currently offers 2 flavours. First impressions, the Original (S$1.50), to me looks similar to a deconstructed cream puff. The texture of the tart was soft and fluffy, almost like Taiwan’s ‘ji dan gao‘ (egg sponge cake). The meringue was light, airy and wasn’t overly sweet, stuffed with a delightful custard.
In my opinion, the Pandan (S$1.70) with its green stuffing was much more fragrant and aromatic, giving off a kaya-esque vibe that I loved. As a die-hard fan of kaya, I’ll admit, I’m probably a little biased, but I’m leaving the final verdict to you! Try both and let me know your favourite.
Victoria has plans to release 2 other flavours, Chocolate and Matcha, somewhere between mid to end October. If you’re looking for an interesting new snack to munch on, swing by Sabah Sandakan UFO TART to grab some.
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