Melktert
South African Milk Tart
A beloved South African classic, Melktert features a crisp, buttery shortcrust pastry filled with a lusciously creamy, sweet custard, finished with a generous dusting of cinnamon. It's a comforting and elegant dessert perfect for any occasion.
🧂 Ingredients
- 1 batch (enough for a 23-25cm tart tin) Shortcrust Pastry(Homemade or good quality store-bought. Ensure it's chilled before lining the tin.)
- 1 liter (whole milk recommended for richness) Milk(Divided: 750ml for the custard base, 250ml for tempering.)
- 200g Granulated Sugar(Adjust to your sweetness preference.)
- 3 Large Eggs(Room temperature is ideal for tempering.)
- 60g All-Purpose Flour(Sifted to prevent lumps.)
- 30g Unsalted Butter(Adds richness and a smooth texture to the custard.)
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract(Use good quality extract for best flavor.)
- Generous amount for dusting Ground Cinnamon(Preferably Ceylon cinnamon for its delicate flavor.)
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
Prepare and blind bake the pastry case: Preheat your oven to 180°C (350°F). Line a 23-25cm tart tin with the chilled shortcrust pastry. Prick the base all over with a fork. Line the pastry with parchment paper and fill with baking beans or uncooked rice. Bake for 15 minutes. Remove the parchment and beans, then bake for another 5-10 minutes, or until the pastry is lightly golden and appears dry. Set aside to cool slightly.
⏱️ 25-30 minutes - 2
Prepare the custard base: In a medium saucepan, gently heat 750ml of the milk with the butter over medium-low heat until the butter has melted and the milk is warm but not boiling. Keep warm.
⏱️ 5 minutes - 3
Combine dry ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together the sugar, sifted flour, and a pinch of salt (if using).
⏱️ 2 minutes - 4
Temper the eggs: In another bowl, lightly beat the eggs. Gradually whisk the warm milk and butter mixture into the egg mixture, a little at a time, to temper the eggs and prevent them from scrambling. Alternatively, whisk the dry ingredients into the tempered eggs until smooth.
⏱️ 5 minutes - 5
Cook the custard: Pour the tempered egg mixture back into the saucepan with the remaining 250ml of milk (if you tempered the eggs into the milk, skip this step and just use the mixture in the saucepan). Cook over low heat, stirring constantly with a whisk, until the custard thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon. This should take about 8-10 minutes. Do not let it boil, as it can curdle. Stir in the vanilla extract.
⏱️ 10-12 minutes - 6
Assemble and bake the tart: Pour the thickened custard into the pre-baked pastry case. Smooth the top with a spatula. Reduce the oven temperature to 160°C (320°F). Carefully place the tart in the oven and bake for 20-25 minutes, or until the custard is just set but still has a slight wobble in the center. The surface should be pale yellow.
⏱️ 20-25 minutes - 7
Cool and chill: Remove the melktert from the oven and let it cool completely on a wire rack. Once at room temperature, cover loosely with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, or preferably overnight, until fully set. This chilling time is crucial for the custard to firm up properly.
⏱️ Minimum 4 hours chilling - 8
Serve: Just before serving, generously dust the top of the chilled melktert with ground cinnamon using a fine-mesh sieve. Slice and serve.
⏱️ 2 minutes
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓For a silky smooth custard, ensure you stir constantly over low heat and do not allow it to boil.
- ✓Blind baking the pastry case prevents a soggy bottom.
- ✓Chilling the melktert thoroughly is essential for the custard to set correctly and for easier slicing.
- ✓A generous dusting of cinnamon is a signature element of melktert.
✨ Twist Ideas
Inspiration for your own version of this recipe
- Make individual melktert tartlets using muffin tins or small tartlet molds.
- Add a touch more cinnamon to the custard mixture itself for a deeper flavor.
- For a richer crust, use a combination of butter and lard in your shortcrust pastry.
🏷️ Tags
🍽️ Pairs Well With
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