Baked Milk Tart (Melktert) the Classic South African Dessert

Indulge in the rich, creamy delight of baked milk tart, a cherished dessert that has been part of South African culinary heritage for generations.

While this recipe includes almond essence, you can easily substitute it with vanilla essence or experiment with unique flavours such as caramel or coffee. For a truly indulgent experience, serve your milk tart warm with a scoop of velvety ice cream, balancing the contrast of textures and temperatures.

Ingredients

For the Crust:

• 1 cup flour
• ¼ cup sugar
• 125g butter
• 1 egg (large)
• 3 tbsps baking powder
• pinch of salt

For the filling:

• 1 litre milk
• 4 tbsps sugar
• 1 tbsp butter
• 2 large egg yolks
• 2 large egg whites
• ½ cup milk
• 4 tbsps heaped – corn flour Maizena
• 2 tbsps heaped – cake flour
• 1 tsp almon essence that gives the delicious Milk Tart flavour
• ground cinnamon for garnish

Instructions

Preheat oven to 180°C (350°F).

1. Crust: Grease a springform pan. Beat butter and sugar until creamy, add egg, then fold in sifted flour, salt, and baking powder. Add a little milk if dough is too firm. Press dough evenly into pan.
2. Filling: Boil 1 litre milk with sugar and butter. Mix egg yolks, 1/2 cup milk, corn flour, and cake flour; slowly add to boiling milk, stirring until thickened. Fold in stiffly beaten egg whites and almond essence. Pour into crust, bake 30 minutes until golden. Cool, sprinkle with cinnamon, and serve.

Modern Baked Milk Tart Recipe

Ouma Irene’s Recipe

This smooth and flavourful treat is perfect for any occasion and can be customized with a variety of flavours to suit your taste.

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Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 44 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr

Course Dessert

Cuisine South African

Servings 7

Equipment

• Springform loose-base cake pan

Ingredients

  

For the Crust:

• 1 cup flour
• ¼ cup sugar
• 125g butter
• 1 egg (large)
• 3 tbsps baking powder
• pinch of salt

For the filling:

• 1 litre milk
• 4 tbsps sugar
• 1 tbsp butter
• 2 large egg yolks
• 2 large egg whites
• ½ cup milk
• 4 tbsps heaped – corn flour Maizena
• 2 tbsps heaped – cake flour
• 1 tsp almon essence that gives the delicious Milk Tart flavour
• ground cinnamon for garnish

Instructions

 

Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F).

Preparing the Crust:

• Grease a springform loose-base cake pan with cooking spray.
  
• Using an electric mixer, beat the butter and sugar until smooth, light, and creamy.
• Add the egg and mix well.
• Sift the flour, salt, and baking powder together and fold into the egg mixture.
• If the dough is too firm, add a small amount of milk to achieve a soft, spreadable consistency.
• Press the dough evenly into the pan, ensuring it reaches the rim to form the crust.

Preparing the Filling:

• In a saucepan, bring 1 litre of milk to a boil with the sugar and butter.
• In a separate bowl, beat the egg yolks with 1/2 cup of milk. Add the corn flour and cake flour, mixing well.
• Slowly pour the egg mixture into the boiling milk, stirring continuously to prevent lumps. Reduce heat as needed to avoid burning.
• Once the mixture has thickened, remove from heat.
• Beat the egg whites until stiff and fold them gently into the filling mixture.
• Add the almond essence and mix thoroughly.
• Pour the filling into the prepared crust and bake for approximately 30 minutes or until golden brown.
• Remove from the oven, allow to cool slightly, and sprinkle with cinnamon.
• Let the tart cool completely before serving. If you prefer it slightly warm, it won't have set completely, but it will still be delicious. Enjoy your yummy treat!

Enjoy your yummy treat!

Keyword Butter, Eggs, Milk