Indulge in the creamy, comforting flavors of South African Milk Tart, or Melktert, a beloved dessert bursting with nostalgia. This classic treat features a buttery, tender pastry crust filled with a velvety, cinnamon-dusted custard that's both rich and delicately spiced. Made with pantry staples like milk, eggs, and sugar, this easy-to-follow recipe showcases the perfect balance of sweetness and warmth that defines South African cuisine. With just 30 minutes of prep time, this irresistible tart is ready to chill and delight at your next gathering. Serve it cold for a flawlessly smooth texture that melts in your mouth. Perfect as a teatime indulgence or crowd-pleasing dessert, this Milk Tart brings a taste of South Africa to your table.
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Preheat your oven to 180°C (350°F).
To make the pastry, combine the all-purpose flour and butter in a large bowl, rubbing the butter into the flour with your fingertips until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs.
Stir in 50 grams of sugar and mix well.
Add 1 large egg and bring the mixture together to form a dough. If the dough is too dry, add a teaspoon of cold water at a time until it holds together.
Press the dough evenly into a 23 cm (9-inch) tart pan with a removable base. Prick the base of the pastry with a fork and refrigerate for 15 minutes.
Bake the pastry shell in the preheated oven for 10-15 minutes, or until golden brown. Remove from the oven and let it cool.
To prepare the filling, heat the milk in a medium saucepan over medium heat until just below boiling. Do not let it boil.
While the milk is heating, whisk together 100 grams of sugar, cornstarch, cake flour, and 2 large eggs in a separate bowl until smooth.
Slowly pour about 1 cup of the hot milk into the egg mixture, whisking constantly to temper the eggs.
Pour the tempered mixture back into the saucepan with the remaining milk and whisk continuously over medium-low heat until the mixture thickens to a custard-like consistency.
Remove the saucepan from heat and stir in 15 grams of butter and the vanilla extract until fully incorporated.
Pour the warm custard filling into the baked pastry shell and smooth the top with a spatula.
Sprinkle ground cinnamon evenly over the surface of the tart.
Allow the tart to cool to room temperature, then refrigerate for at least 2 hours until set.
Slice and serve chilled. Enjoy!
Serving size | (1446.3g) |
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Amount per serving | % Daily Value* |
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Calories | 2981.6 |
Total Fat 122.7g | 0% |
Saturated Fat 63.0g | 0% |
Polyunsaturated Fat 5.1g | |
Cholesterol 907.9mg | 0% |
Sodium 1113.1mg | 0% |
Total Carbohydrate 392.8g | 0% |
Dietary Fiber 7.4g | 0% |
Total Sugars 189.6g | |
Protein 67.1g | 0% |
Vitamin D 492.9IU | 0% |
Calcium 1128.1mg | 0% |
Iron 11.9mg | 0% |
Potassium 1683.8mg | 0% |
Source of Calories