Melktert, or milk tart, is a beloved South African dessert pie. It features a sweet pastry crust filled with a creamy custard, generously dusted with cinnamon. This dessert is a classic in South African households, often passed down through generations, with each family having their own guarded recipe. Whether you call it old fashioned custard pie, South African custard tart, egg custard tart or egg custard pie, melktert is a comforting and subtly sweet treat perfect for any occasion.
This article provides a detailed recipe to help you create an authentic South African milk tart at home. Let's dive into the ingredients and steps to make this delightful dessert.
Ingredients
Shortcrust Pastry Base
- 2 cups (300 cups) all-purpose flour
- 12 tablespoons unsalted butter
- ½ cup (100 g) sugar
- 1 large egg
- Pinch of salt
Milk Tart Filling
- 4 cups (950 ml) whole milk
- 1 tablespoon (.5 ounces) unsalted butter
- ½ cup (100 g) sugar
- 3 tablespoons (24 g) all-purpose flour
- 3 tablespoons (24 g) cornstarch
- 1 pinch salt
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon (5 ml) vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon (14 g) ground cinnamon (for dusting)
Instructions
1. Make the Pastry
In a food processor, pulse the butter, flour, and sugar until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Alternatively, rub in the cold butter with two knives or a pastry cutter, avoiding the use of hands to keep the butter cold.
Add the egg and water and mix until just combined. Bring the pastry into a ball and flatten into a disk on a piece of cling wrap to make it easier to roll into a round shape later. Chill and rest the pastry for about 30 minutes before use.
2. Roll and Bake the Crust
Roll out the pastry and line a 25 cm tart pan, ensuring that the pastry overlaps the sides a bit as it may shrink during baking if not rested enough. Chill it again for another 10 minutes before baking.
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Preheat the oven to 200 degrees Celsius / 400 F / Gas mark 6. Prick the base and line with parchment paper and baking beans or beans, and bake blind for about 10 minutes. Remove the baking beans and bake for another five minutes. Be careful not to get a burn as you may drop the beans and damage the tart case.
Reduce the oven temperature to 170 degrees Celsius / 350 F / Gas mark 4.
3. Prepare the Filling
While the pastry base is baking, prepare the filling. In a medium size bowl, mix the butter and flour ensuring there are no lumps. Add in the condensed milk, vanilla, and the egg yolks and mix until smooth.
Heat the milk until it reaches boiling point, stirring occasionally with a flat edged wooden spoon to prevent it catching and burning on the bottom of the pot. Add a little of the boiled milk to the egg mixture ensuring that you whisk out all the lumps.
Slowly add the rest of the milk while whisking or stirring and then return to the pot and place back on the heat. Stir the milk mixture on the heat until it thickens and it starts to bubble. Remove the pot from the stove and let the mixture cool for about 10 minutes.
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4. Whisk Egg Whites (Optional)
Whisk the egg whites and salt until they are glossy but not too stiff. This step can add a lighter texture to the filling.
5. Combine and Bake
Pour the filling over the baked pastry case. Cook until the milk tart is set. 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.
6. Chill and Serve
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.
Tips and Tricks
Cornstarch Notes: Make sure you are using corn starch. If you’re in South Africa, use Maizena.
Cooking Tip: When making the filling, make sure to keep the pan over medium heat. You don’t want to let the filling boil!
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Prevent Overcooking the Eggs: When making the custard on the stovetop, it’s crucial to be patient and take your time. The key is to avoid cooking the eggs too quickly or at too high of a temperature. This can result in cooking/scrambling and ruining the custard.
Allow Sufficient Time for Setting: It’s crucial to resist the temptation to cut into the tart too soon. Allow the milk tart to cool in the fridge overnight or for at least 4 hours before serving.
Milk tart can be made up to 2 days in advance and kept covered in the fridge.
Common Issues and Solutions
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.
Why Is My Milk Tart Not Thickening?
When you are making a stove-top filling for milk tart, it will not thicken because it hasn’t heated through enough. It takes about 5-10 minutes for the mixture to thicken over medium heat. Do not be tempted to rush it, as boiling the mixture can cause it not to set properly. Another reason could be using another type of starch - corn starch works the best and shouldn’t be substituted.
Why Did My Milk Tart Curdle?
Milk tart can curdle if the eggs are cooked too quickly or at too high of a temperature. To prevent curdling, make sure that you gradually add the hot milk to the egg mixture while stirring continuously. Cook the custard over medium heat, stirring constantly until thickened.
Variations
Dairy-Free Milk Tart: My mom has made a dairy-free version many times with success. She uses oat milk instead of dairy milk and plant-based butter.
Gluten-Free Milk Tart: We have also experimented with a gluten-free version. For the pastry, use a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend and the kind of plant-based butter that comes in a block, not the spread in a tub (it has too much water content). Pressing the dough into the dish is easier than rolling this one.
South African Crustless Milktart (Korslose Melktert)
Serving Suggestions
Milk tart is sweet and creamy with a crisp sweetened crust. The cinnamon and vanilla combine to create a super comforting dessert. This easy pie is similar to a custard tart but lighter and more delicate.
You can serve this milk tart for a simple afternoon teatime or a fancier high tea. Its light texture makes it a lovely treat to enjoy with friends alongside treats like madeleines or a bakewell tart. It’s also great for dinner parties, special meals or even a regular weeknight dessert.
