South African Milk Tart Recipe (2024)

ByAlida Ryder Published

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Milk tart with creamy filling and a homemade crust is a South African classic. Perfect as dessert or served for tea time.

South African Milk Tart Recipe (1)

Table of Contents

  • 1 What is milk tart?
  • 2 Ingredients Needed
  • 3 How to make milk tart
  • 4 Making ahead and freezing
  • 5 South African recipes
  • 6 FAQ
  • 7 Pie recipes
  • 8 South African Milk Tart
    • 8.1 Ingredients
      • 8.1.1 For the crust
      • 8.1.2 For the filling
    • 8.2 Instructions
    • 8.3 Nutrition

What is milk tart?

Milk tart (or Melk Tert) is a South African dessert pie. A sweet pastry crust is filled with a custard filling and topped with a generous dusting of cinnamon. Some milk tart recipes call for the custard to be baked but my favorite version is unbaked custard gently flavored with almond extract, vanilla and nutmeg set in a flaky pie crust. If you love custard-based pies, you will LOVE milk tart.

Ingredients Needed

  • Flour.
  • Icing/Powdered sugar.
  • Cold butter.I used salted butter but unsalted butter can be substituted.
  • Ice water.
  • Milk. It’s important to use whole milk or full fat milk in this recipe.
  • Cream. Heavy/Whipping cream.
  • Egg yolks.
  • Cornstarch.
  • Flour. Cake or all purpose flour.
  • Sugar.
  • Almond extract.
  • Vanilla extract.
  • Nutmeg.
  • Cinnamon.
South African Milk Tart Recipe (2)

How to make milk tart

  1. The crust:The crust recipe I use is one that doesn’t require any rolling out. You simply press the dough into the pie plate before freezing and then blind baking until golden brown and crisp. You can substitute with a cookie crust or use any pie dough recipe you like.
  2. The filling:As with all custards, milk tart filling starts with milk (use whole/full fat milk), cream and flavorings being heated together. To thicken and set the filling, I like using a combination of egg yolks, cornstarch and flour. Whisk the flours and egg yolks with the sugar then ladle in some of the hot milk mixture and whisk to temper the eggs. Pour the mixture back into the saucepan and cook whilst whisking until the custard is thick, smooth and cooked through. I like to pass the custard through a fine mesh sieve to make sure there are no lumps or bits of coagulated egg. Beat room temperature butter into the custard (this adds extra silky richness to the finished tart) and pour the custard into the baked crust.
  3. Setting:Smooth the top of the tart out by spraying a piece of parchment paper with cooking spray and pressing it onto the surface of the custard. This allows you to smooth the top but also prevents a skin from forming. Place the tart in the fridge and allow to set for at least 4 hours but overnight is even better.
  4. Serving:Once you are ready to serve, dust the top of the tart with a generous amount of cinnamon then slice and serve.

Making ahead and freezing

  1. Make ahead:Milk tart can be made up to 2 days in advance and kept covered in the fridge. Leftover will keep in the fridge for up to 3 days.
  2. Freezing:Freezing is not recommended as the custard might change texture once thawed.
South African Milk Tart Recipe (3)

South African recipes

  1. Malva pudding with frozen custard
  2. Pampoen koekies (pumpkin fritters)
  3. Rooibos tea peach punch
  4. Cheese and corn samoosas

FAQ

Why does my tart have a soggy bottom?

If you don’t blind-bake the crust (which is necessary for this recipe anyway as the filling doesn’t get baked), the filling will prevent it from crisping up.

Pie recipes

  1. Chocolate cream pie
  2. Cinnamon brown sugar pecan pie
  3. Banana cream pie
  4. Lemon Meringue Pie

South African Milk Tart Recipe (5)

South African Milk Tart

Milk tart with creamy filling and a homemade crust is a South African classic. Perfect as dessert or served for tea time.

4.63 from 72 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: South African

Keyword: Milk tart, Milk tart recipe, South African milk tart

Prep Time: 30 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes minutes

Chilling time: 4 hours hours

Total Time: 5 hours hours

Calories: 278kcal

Author: Alida Ryder

Servings: 8

Ingredients

For the crust

  • Follow the directions for my easy no-roll crust

For the filling

  • 2 cups milk
  • ½ cup heavy / whipping cream
  • 5 egg yolks
  • ¾ cup sugar
  • tbsp cornstarch / cornflour
  • 2 tbsp flour
  • 2 tbsp salted butter (alternatively use unsalted butter and 1/2 tsp salt)
  • ½ tsp almond extract
  • ½ tsp vanilla extract
  • pinch of nutmeg
  • 2 tsp cinnamon

Instructions

  • Make the pastry according to recipe instructions then blind bake until golden brown and crisp. Remove from the oven and allow to cool.

  • To make the filling, heat the milk, cream, vanilla, almond extract and nutmeg in a saucepan over medium heat.

  • In a mixing bowl, whisk together the egg yolk, sugar, flours and salt.

  • Once the milk is hot, whisk two ladles full of the milk into the egg mixture to temper the eggs.

  • Pour the egg mixture back into the saucepan and cook until thickened, whisking continuously. Cook the custard for 2-3 minutes until thick and smooth.

  • Pass the custard through a fine-mesh sieve. Beat in the butter.

  • Pour the custard into the prepared crust. Spray a piece of parchment paper with cooking spray then press onto the surface of the custard to avoid a skin from forming.

  • Place the milk tart in the fridge and allow to set for at least 4 hours but ideally overnight.

  • Before serving, dust the cinnamon over the milk tart. Slice and serve.

Nutrition

Calories: 278kcal | Carbohydrates: 36g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Cholesterol: 151mg | Sodium: 63mg | Potassium: 119mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 22g | Vitamin A: 593IU | Calcium: 104mg | Iron: 1mg

South African Milk Tart Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What does milk tart contain? ›

Melktert (/ˈmɛlktɛrt/, Afrikaans for milk tart) is a South African dessert originally created by the Dutch settlers in the "Cape" (South Africa) consisting of a sweet pastry crust containing a custard filling made from milk, flour, sugar and eggs.

What is the history of the South African milk tart? ›

The milk tart, or melktert in Afrikaans, is one of South Africa's most traditional sweet pies. The recipe originated in the Cape of Good Hope; Dutch settlers introduced the milk based filling and the Cape Malays added the cinnamon flavor.

What is the heritage of milk tarts? ›

The traditional milk tart with its familiar sweet crust and creamy custard filling is an enduring favourite that originated in the Cape of Good Hope in the 17th century. Early Dutch recipes included almond milk, which is possibly why almond essence is still used in many recipes today.

What food is South Africa famous for? ›

Traditional South African Dishes
  • Bobotie. Considered by many to be the South African national dish, Bobotie (pronounced ba-bo-tea) is a meat-based dish and one of the most well-known examples of Cape Malay cuisine. ...
  • Boerewors. ...
  • Chakalaka and pap. ...
  • Biltong. ...
  • Potjiekos. ...
  • Vetkoek. ...
  • Durban bunny chow. ...
  • Malva pudding.
Jan 4, 2023

What is tart filling made of? ›

It's made with rich cream cheese, sour cream for a hint of tang, powdered sugar, and delicious vanilla bean paste, but you can use vanilla extract if that's all you have on hand. The mixture is beat together before some heavy cream is whipped in to help achieve a light and fluffy texture.

What is sour milk called in South Africa? ›

Amasi is a traditional Southern African fermented dairy product usually made at a household level from unpasteurised milk. It is widely consumed throughout the Southern Africa region and it relies on specific microorganisms for its taste, aroma, consistency and texture.

What is evaporated milk in South Africa? ›

As the name says, this is evaporated milk, meaning that about 50% of water has been removed from milk, making it more concentrated. It can be used as fresh milk by diluting with an equal amount of water. Adds creaminess to soups, stews, or pasta dishes and gives it a "round" taste.

Why is Amasi proudly South African? ›

Origin and History. Amasi has its roots deeply embedded in South African history, dating back centuries. This fermented milk product was traditionally made by the Zulu people and played a significant role in their diet. It served as a vital source of nutrition and provided essential probiotics for digestive health.

What is the milk tart mystery? ›

In THE MILK TART MURDERS Tannie Maria, Ladismith's famous crime fighter and agony aunt, once again finds herself in the middle of a murder investigation… but that is not all that troubles her. Newly estranged from her policeman boyfriend, Tannie Maria must wrestle with the complex feelings she has for him and for food…

Which country invented the custard tart? ›

History of the Pasteis de Nata (Portuguese Custard Tarts)

Initially produced in Belem, Lisbon, the origin of the pastel de nata is sacred and spiritual, known as the pastel de Belem. This delicacy was created before the 18th century by Catholic monks in the Jeronimos Monastery, a UNESCO World Heritage Site today.

Why are they called tarts? ›

Tarts have a long history, and their origins can be traced back to ancient Rome. The word “tart” is thought to derive from the Old French word tarte, which itself is derived from the Latin word torta, meaning “twisted bread”.

What is the alcohol content of melktert liqueur? ›

Wine and Liquor
Wine and Liquor
Alcohol Volume Percentage15.5%

What is shooter co*cktails? ›

A shooter, or shot, is a small serving of spirits or a mixed drink (usually about one US fluid ounce or 30 millilitres), typically consumed quickly, often in a single gulp. It is common to serve a shooter as a side to a larger drink.

What are the components of a tart? ›

A tart is a baked dish consisting of a filling over a pastry base with an open top not covered with pastry. The pastry is usually shortcrust pastry; the filling may be sweet or savoury, though modern tarts are usually fruit-based, sometimes with custard.

What is tart base made of? ›

By hand: In a large bowl, stir together the flour, sugar and salt. Using a pastry cutter or 2 knives, cut the butter into the flour mixture until the texture resembles coarse cornmeal, with butter pieces no larger than small peas. Add the egg mixture and mix with a fork just until the dough pulls together.

What does fruit tart contain? ›

This classic French fruit tart combines three equally delicious elements: a crisp, buttery shortbread crust (or pâte sucrée), a creamy vanilla custard (or crême pâtissière), and heaps of fresh fruit.

What is cream tart made of? ›

Cream tarts, also variously known as cream tart cakes, number cakes, alphabet cakes, are essentially two layers of shortbread or thin cake sandwiching a cream filling, and lavishly decorated on top. A bit like a napoleon but with the creativity turned up to 100.

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