Description
Milk Tart, or Melktert, is a classic South African dessert featuring a creamy, custard-like filling in a sweet pastry crust. It’s lightly spiced with cinnamon and has a delicate, melt-in-your-mouth texture. Perfect for tea time or as a comforting dessert!
Ingredients
For the Crust:
1 1/2 cups (190g) all-purpose flour
1/2 cup (100g) granulated sugar
1/2 cup (115g) unsalted butter, cold and cubed
1 large egg
1 tsp (5ml) vanilla extract
For the Filling:
4 cups (1 liter) whole milk
1 cinnamon stick
1/2 cup (100g) granulated sugar
1/4 cup (30g) all-purpose flour
1/4 cup (30g) cornstarch
3 large eggs
1 tsp (5ml) vanilla extract
Ground cinnamon, for dusting
Instructions
- Make the Crust:
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C).
- In a food processor, combine flour, sugar, butter, egg, and vanilla. Pulse until the dough comes together.
- Press the dough into a 9-inch (23cm) tart pan, covering the base and sides evenly.
- Prick the base with a fork and bake for 15–20 minutes, or until lightly golden. Set aside to cool.
- Prepare the Filling:
- In a saucepan, heat the milk and cinnamon stick over medium heat until warm (do not boil).
- In a separate bowl, whisk together sugar, flour, cornstarch, and eggs until smooth.
- Slowly pour the warm milk into the egg mixture, whisking constantly to avoid curdling.
- Return the mixture to the saucepan and cook over medium heat, stirring continuously, until thickened (about 5–7 minutes).
- Remove from heat, discard the cinnamon stick, and stir in the vanilla extract.
- Assemble the Tart:
- Pour the filling into the baked crust and smooth the top.
- Dust generously with ground cinnamon.
- Allow the tart to cool completely, then refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving.
Notes
For a quicker version, use a pre-made pie crust.
Ensure the filling is thick enough before pouring it into the crust to avoid a runny tart.
Store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice (1/10 of tart)
- Calories: 280 kcal
- Sugar: 18g
- Sodium: 50mg
- Fat: 12g
- Saturated Fat: 7g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 35g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 6g
- Cholesterol: 85mg