This recipe for old-fashioned milk tart (melktert) has been adapted from The Classic South African Cookbook which I was sent for review.
Head straight on to the Recipe For ♥ Melktert ♥
Since February 2001 I have been seeing the same massage therapist for my bi-monthly treatments. We spend most of the 90 minutes talking about what has been happening in our lives. The week we got back from overseas I caught Nadia up on what we had done on our holiday. Once my 16 day story was told she let me know all about her upcoming plans. Together with friends, they were heading to Mozambique for a short break. Nadia gave me a rundown of their overnight stops both there and back. It’s a good thing we spend the time talking as their original plans would have seen her back at work the same day as my next appointment. Together with gym, these massages are keeping my knee away from the surgeon’s knife. I would have sat outside her rooms waiting for her as my appointments are scheduled months in advance.
Today’s inspiration ♥ Recipe For Melktert ♥ can be found on Lavender and Lime Share on X
This conversation ensured I was not let down or upset and luckily for me my alternate therapist could see me that day. Caroline offers a completely different treatment to Nadia which is also a good thing for my muscles. Having two choices is always a plus. I have made milk tart before but I have been searching for a recipe that replicates one I made at school. This traditional recipe for Melktert was not a let-down. Dave thought it had far too much cinnamon on top, but I thought it was perfect. My pastry shrunk so if I make it again I will not trim it before blind baking. This meant we had left over milk tart filling which we ate with poached guavas that night.
Click on the links for conversions and notes.
Melktert
Ingredients
for the crust
- 145 g flour, plus extra for dusting
- 25 g fructose
- 5 mls baking powder
- 1 pinch fine salt
- 100 g butter, plus extra for greasing
- 1 egg, lightly beaten
for the custard
- 1.125 l milk, divided
- 100 g butter
- 1 cinnamon quill
- 3 eggs, separated
- 205 g fructose
- 72 g flour
- 70 g cornflour
- 1 pinch fine salt
- 5 mls vanilla purée
- Ground cinnamon for dusting
Method
for the crust
- Sift the flour, fructose, baking powder and salt into a mixing bowl
- Grate the butter into the flour and mix in using your fingertips until it resembles bread crumbs
- Add the egg and mix to create a soft dough
- Shape the dough into a ball and press down to create a disc
- Cover in clingfilm and place into the fridge for 30 minutes
- Lightly grease an oven proof pie dish
- Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and roll until larger than your pie dish
- Carefully roll the dough over the rolling pin and then unroll it into the pie dish
- Press the dough firmly onto the bottom and sides of the dish
- Place the pie dish into the fridge while you preheat the oven to 180° Celsius
- Line the pastry with baking paper and fill with baking beans and blind bake for 15 minutes
- Remove from the oven, remove the baking beans and baking paper and prick holes into the bottom of the pastry with a fork
- Return to the oven and bake for 10 minutes
- Remove from the oven and set aside to cool while you make the custard
- Trim the edges once cooled
for the custard
- Place 1000mls (1l) of the milk together with the butter and cinnamon quill into a large thick bottomed sauce pan
- Bring to the boil over a medium high temperature and then reduce the temperature
- Pour the remaining milk (125mls) into a mixing bowl and add the egg yolks, fructose, flour, cornflour and salt
- Whisk together to combine
- Remove the cinnamon quill from the milk and then add the egg mixture to the milk
- Whisk until smooth and then leave to simmer for 5 minutes before removing from the heat and setting aside to cool slightly *
- Place the egg whites into a mixing bowl and whisk to stiff peaks stage
- Fold the eggs whites into the custard using a whisk, until just combined
- Gently whisk in the vanilla purée and pour into the prepared crust
- Dust the top with the ground cinnamon - as thick as you would like it
- Leave to set before serving
Notes
Disclosure: This recipe has been published with permission. This post is in line with my blogging policy.
Inspiration published on Lavender and Lime July 7:
- 2016 – Cottage Pie
- 2014 – Egg Nest Ravioli
- 2012 – Friday’s Food Quiz Number 75
- 2011 – Sweet Chilli Sauce Duck
- 2010 – Roast Chicken
Can’t beat a lovely milk tart.
Have a super weekend.
🙂 Mandy xo
Nope! Hope you had a great weekend as well xx
I love milk tart! It’s so delicious and so familiar even though I didn’t grow up eating it.
it is real comfort food 🙂
Hi tandy, oh I love milk tarts, can’t wait to make this myself, choices are always good.
Hope you enjoy it Cheri 🙂
This tart looks delicious! 🙂
Thanks Pamela 🙂
que pastel mas interesante, no lo conocia, parece delicioso
Thank you Inma 🙂
I am so delighted to see this post, Tandy. I have been looking for a melktert recipe.
Hope you enjoy it Robbie 🙂
That looks lovely! I will give it a try soon.
I am also working to keep from having surgery on my knee. I’ve found pilates very helpful.
I wish I could go to Pilates or Yoga classes. Good luck!
Who doesn’t love milk tat? Your tart looks absolutely yummy. I bet it tastes as delicious as it looks. 🙂
Thanks Anu, it was very delicious 🙂
One of the things that I most love about your blog is that there are so many foods that I have never heard about before. This is one of them.
Thanks for that Tammy xxx