Traditional South African Milk Tart
A milk tart is a classic South African dessert featuring a creamy, custard-like filling nestled in a buttery crust and traditionally topped with a sprinkle of cinnamon.
Ingredients
Pie Crust
- 2 cups/ 240g / 8.5oz cake flour
- ½ cup / 100g / 3.5 oz sugar
- 1 egg
- 250 g / 8.8 oz butter
- 1 tsp baking powder
Filling
- 3 eggs
- 1 litre / 34oz milk
- 1 tsp vanilla essence
- 1 cup / 200g / 7 oz sugar
- 2½ tablespoons cake flour
- 2½ tablespoons cornflour
Instructions
Instructions for the Crust:
- Preheat oven to 180°C (350°F) and generously grease 2 foil milk tart tins (22.5cm / 9inch).
- Using a Kitchen Aid stand with bowl or hand mixer, cream butter until light and fluffy. Add sugar, egg, cake flour, and baking powder, and mix until well combined.
- Split the dough in approximately two and gently press into foil containers using the palm of your hand. Tip: Rub some flour on your hands so the dough doesn't stick.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes. Every 5-7 minutes, remove the crust from the oven and press down on the dough with a tablespoon to ensure it stays flat.
- Image 1 - after 5 min
- Image 2 - after 10 min
- Image 3 - after 15 min
- As you do this, the crust will automatically go up the sides. Once it is golden brown and cooked, the crust can be removed from the oven.
Instructions for the Filling:
- Using a Kitchen Aid Hand Mixer beat sugar and eggs well. Add vanilla essence, then add cake flour and cornflour and mix very well.
- Bring 1 litre of milk to the boil. Watch carefully, and as the milk is about to boil up, remove it from the heat and add the egg mixture to the milk, stirring continuously. Continue mixing until the filling is a thick custard. If it does not thicken sufficiently, place it on the heat again until it thickens.
- Pour half the mixture into each of the milk tart tins. Sprinkle generously with cinnamon.
