South African No-Bake Milk Tart - Melktert

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This simple milk tart (or melktert) is a classic South African dessert. The filling is creamy like custard, and the top dusted with cinnamon. Plus, it uses the tennis biscuits for the crust - and that's never a bad thing!

I cooked the filling on the stovetop, but since the whole tart never goes in the oven, I thought I could call it a no-bake milk tart. After all, some versions are oven-baked and have no crust at all!

Tarts are a slightly fancy dessert, not evening gown type fancy, just a sweet, polite, afternoon tea-type fancy. When you dust a little cinnamon or sugar over the top, it gives it a slightly bolder, more Instagram-worthy aesthetic!

Where did this milk tart originate?

It's believed that milk tarts such as this one may have originated amongst settlers at the Dutch Cape Colony in the 17th Century.

All recipes vary, but the common denominator is a rich, creamy filling cooked either inside or outside the crust baked or cooked on the stove. After all, cooking the filling like in this recipe means that you don't have to turn on the oven - which makes this a perfect no-bake summer tart!

Everyone loves a creamy, vanilla custard-like filling paired with a gorgeous cinnamon flavor inside a perfect homemade crust! Especially with the texture contrast of the smooth, velvety center compared to the light, crisp crust - it's just incredible!

What is Milk Tart?

Milk tart is a South African dessert consisting of a pastry crust and a creamy, custard-like filling. It's effectively the South African version of creampie or milk pie.

What do I need to make this simple milk tart?

This tart effectively comes in 2 parts - the crust and the filling, so it's useful also to split the ingredients in the same way:

For the crust:

• tennis biscuits (see notes below)
• butter
• ground cinnamon

For the filling:

• Regular all-purpose plain flour to make it thick and creamy instead of wet and soggy
• Cornstarch, to thicken the mixture even further
• A pinch of salt to balance the flavors
• Full-fat milk. It's important to use full-fat dairy here because otherwise, the consistency may change. Lower fat milk will also be less flavourful and creamy so that the tart may taste a little bland and watery otherwise.
• Sugar for sweetness
• Eggs to add richness and help to emulsify the ingredients
• Vanilla extract for flavor (you can never have enough!)
• A touch of butter to add a silky richness to the filling
• And, of course, ground cinnamon for dusting!

None of the ingredients are rare - in fact, most of them are relatively essential baking ingredients!

The only thing you might struggle to find is the tennis biscuits, but you can use one of the substitutions that I recommended above!

People also asked:

1. WHAT ARE TENNIS BISCUITS?

Tennis biscuits are a square, crispy tea biscuit made with a little maple syrup and coconut.

2. WHAT CAN I USE INSTEAD OF TENNIS BISCUITS?

You can use Digestive Biscuits, Graham Crackers, or Marie biscuits, however, it'll alter the authenticity of the recipe and its flavor.

3. HOW LONG DOES MILK TART LAST IN THE FRIDGE?

Covered and refrigerated, this tart will keep well for up to 4 days, if it lasts that long, ha!

4. CAN I MAKE THIS RECIPE GLUTEN-FREE?

Absolutely! Use gluten-free graham cracker crumbs or skip the crust entirely by pouring the custard into a greased tart or cake pan before dusting with cinnamon and chilling.

How to make South African Melktert?

*Keep scrolling to get the full (printable) recipe, ingredient amounts, and more tips, or click on the "Skip to Recipe" button at the top of the page.

For the crust:

1. Blend the tennis or digestive biscuits with cinnamon and melted butter until well-combined.
2. Transfer to a tart pan. Place the pan in the fridge so that the crust can set while you make the filling.

For the filling:

1. Mix flour, cornstarch, some of the milk, sugar, eggs, and vanilla until well blended.
2. In a large saucepan, bring the rest of the milk and butter to boil.
3. Slowly add the flour mixture to the hot milk, constantly whisking until thickened and thoroughly cooked.
4. Pour into the prepared crust and sprinkle with cinnamon.

And there you have it - a whole tart in 6 instructions - start-to-finish! I promise that this one is s keeper, and once you've made it once, you'll never stop loving it!

Recipe Notes: 

• You can pack the biscuits in a single layer on the bottom of the tart pan, instead of crushing them into crumbs.
• Make the crust ahead of time; just simply leave it in the fridge in the tart pan.
• Adding a cinnamon stick to the saucepan with milk will infuse the filling with a hint of cinnamon. Remove the stick before pouring filling over the crust.
• Stovetop custard is ready when it's thick enough to coat a whisk or a spoon well, or if you're able to run a spoon through it and the line holds its shape.
• Decorate your tart by dusting ground cinnamon over a stencil, paper cut-out, or doily gently placed on top of the pie. Lift carefully.
• You can mix up the flavor a bit by using nutmeg and cinnamon instead of just cinnamon.

Products used for this recipe:

Tennis Biscuits

If you love coconut, you'll love these delicious Coconut biscuits which go equally well with tea as they do as a baking ingredient.

Electric Mixer

An electric mixer is a staple of every kitchen, and you certainly don't need to buy one if you already have a mixer that works. I would recommend a standing mixer. It's a time-saver - you let it do its thing while you prep other ingredients. If you can afford this one, put it on your Christmas or Birthday wish list. That's how I got mine; two people pitched in.

Food Processor

You certainly don't need to spend a lot on a good food processor. I've had this one for about eight years, and it still serves me well. You'll find many uses for it, and it will help cut (no pun intended) your preparation time at least in half.

Can you imagine chopping everything into teeny tiny pieces by hand? Trust me - a food processor is your best friend. Browse to find one that suits your needs the best.

Wilton Non-Stick Tart Pan

You can get any brand tart pan, but I'm never disappointed by Wilton. It is usually my go-to for baking needs.

If you like this milk tart, try these South African desserts:

· Malva Pudding Mini Cakes

· Oatmeal Cookie Bars - Crunchies 

Other tarts from around the world

Why not try some more tart recipes? See if any of these takes your fancy!

• RUSTIC PLUM RICOTTA TART WITH FILLO PASTRY
• GERMAN CRANBERRY ORANGE CREAM TART
• FRENCH PEAR & ALMOND TART
• GERMAN CHOCOLATE HAZELNUT MOUSSE TART