These classic South African unbaked milk tarts are so easy and delicious. The base is made with the iconic Baker’s Tennis biscuits and melted butter.
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Milk tart is a classic South African heritage recipe and it’s utterly delicious. The filling consists of either a cooked custard filling and the tart itself can be baked or unbaked. When it’s baked it’s the most similar to a Portuguese pasteis de nata and originates from the Dutch part of our heritage.
I have done a baked milk tart recipe on my site and it’s a really nice one. I added a twist and infused Earl Grey tea into the filling turning it into a London Fog rendition, but you could leave that out and make a traditional version.
These mini tarts are novel but they require more biscuits for the base and take a little longer to make. It’s much easier to go with one large milk tart and then use one packet of biscuits. I’ve included instructions to do it both ways.
After making this I was reminded how much I really love milk tart. There is something so comforting about eating a confection that can take you right back to your childhood and to other times throughout your life. It’s what heritage recipes are all about and I love the nostalgia of it.
To make this into 1 large milk tart:
This recipe can be made into 1 large milk tart using 200 grams (1 packet) of tennis biscuits and 100 grams of butter as the base. To make 12 individual tarts you will need more crumb base so I have done 1.5 times the recipe to make 12.
I used a 25cm pie/tart tin which has an 18cm base circumference. It was a snug fit and it was perfect, but a 26cm pie dish could also work. This biscuit base is also generous which I like.
See myberry cheesecake with almond crumble
You might also like these South African recipes:
Earl Grey tea milk tart-Baked milk tart
The best buttermilk bran rusks
Orange malva pudding
The best chocolate malva pudding
My grandmother Betty’s crunchy recipe
A classic buttermilk rusk recipe
Easy peppermint crisp pudding
Traditional South African bobotie with fragrant yellow rice
Here is my video of how to make a classic South African unbaked milk tart recipe:
Recipe – makes 1 big milt tart or 12 mini milk tarts
A classic South African unbaked milk tart
This is the best classic South African unbaked Milk Tart recipe
Print Recipe
Prep Time:20 minutesmins
Ingredients
200gms1 packet Tennis biscuits
100gms buttermelted
700mlfull cream milk
1tin condensed milk
2tspvanilla extract
2eggsseparated
50gms cornstarch
50mlwater
pinchof salt
Cinnamon to decorate
Instructions
Break the Tennis biscuits into fine crumbs by hand or by using a food processor and mix in the melted butter until well combined.
Line a 25cm-26cm pie tin with the tennis biscuit crumbs and press down to compact. Place in the fridge or freezer to set while you make the filling.
If you are making individual milk tarts, use 1 1/2 packets of tennis biscuits (300 grams) and 150 grams of butter. Line the base and sides of 12 x 8cm individual tart cases with the biscuit crumbs and press to compact. Place in the fridge or freezer to set while you make the filling.
In a medium-sized pot, heat the milk, condensed milk and vanilla over a medium until boiling point (make sure you stir until the condensed milk is dissolved).
While that is heating up, separate the eggs and whisk the eggs whites to soft peak in a bowl. Set aside.
In another bowl whisk the egg yolks, cornstarch, water and salt. When the milk is at boiling point take it off the heat and allow it to cool for 3 minutes. Add the egg yolk mixture slowly while whisking vigorously all the time.
Return the pot to a low heat and continue to whisk constantly until it thickens, about 5 -7 minutes.
Add the egg whites to the milk mixture and whisk for about 2 more minutes until well combined.
Pour the filling into the lined pastry cases and allow it to cool to room temperature before putting it in the fridge to set completely.
Sprinkle generously with cinnamon and serve.
Notes
It is best to make this Milk tart the day before and allow it to fully set and cool in the fridge overnight. the flavour will also improve overnight.
The filling can be used as a chilled thick custard for various other desserts.
To make 12 mini milk tarts increase the crumb mixture to 1.5 packets (300 grams) and 150 grams of butter.
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.
South Africans expect to find melktert at supermarkets, bake sales, church events, bakeries, and celebrations. Dutch colonizers brought early recipes for this cinnamon-dusted custard pie to the southern tip of Africa in the 17th century.
Whether it be a French Flan Patissier, a Portuguese Pasteis de Nata or an Italian Torte della Nonna, there are definite similarities the world over. The major difference in comparison of Milk Tart to these, is the absence of lots of eggs in the custard.
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.
“If you are making a sweet paste tart case, make sure the base is baked properly, even a little over, as to not have a soggy base. The milk tart mix will soften the shell slightly when setting to give you that perfect balance between crunchy and soft. Allow the milk tart to cool at room temperature.
Melktert stems from the Dutch settlers in the Cape in the 1600s. The origin of Mattentaart is credited to a recipe listed in Thomas van der Noot's book, “Een notabel boexcken van co*keryen” (A Notable Book of Cookery) and it's possible that melktert developed from the same recipe.
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. ...
Amasi (in Ndebele, Zulu and Xhosa), emasi (in Swazi), maas (in Afrikaans), or mafi (in Sesotho), is a thick curdled sour fermented milk product that is sometimes compared to cottage cheese or plain yogurt but has a much stronger flavor.
The science of perfect flan lies in the fact that, unlike most custard-based dishes, it contains both egg yolks and egg whites. Egg yolks are made up of fat, protein and about 50% water. The fat in the yolk gives desserts like crème brûlée, crème caramel and flan their creamy and smooth texture.
However, custard (and therefore flan) is made with eggs and sweetened milk alongside the cream, and flan itself includes caramel. On the other hand, pudding is made with sugar and some kind of starch to thicken the mixture (usually flour or cornstarch).
The taste is unique & you can't find it in any other dessert. While eggs are an essential part of the dessert, some flan fans believe the flavor becomes eggy if there is too much egg.
Melktert isn't just a dessert; it's a symbol of South African food culture and a connection to the past. It's a dessert that has been passed down from generation to generation, and it continues to inspire people around the world.
The origin of tarts can be traced back to the ancient Egyptians, who made a pastry shell filled with honey and fruit. These early tarts were often made as an offering to the gods. The ancient Greeks also made tarts, known as plakous, which were made with cheese and honey.
Amasi is a fermented milk product which is made from full cream milk. The bacterial cultures present in the homemade fermented amasi are inherited from the unpasteurized milk left in the calabash or clay pots which was used to store the milk.
Amasi (in Ndebele, Zulu and Xhosa), emasi (in Swazi), maas (in Afrikaans), or mafi (in Sesotho), is a thick curdled sour fermented milk product that is sometimes compared to cottage cheese or plain yogurt but has a much stronger flavor.
Melktert stems from the Dutch settlers in the Cape in the 1600s. The origin of Mattentaart is credited to a recipe listed in Thomas van der Noot's book, “Een notabel boexcken van co*keryen” (A Notable Book of Cookery) and it's possible that melktert developed from the same recipe.
Introduction: My name is Nicola Considine CPA, I am a determined, witty, powerful, brainy, open, smiling, proud person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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