Melktert, also recognized as South African Milk Tart, is a delightful but decadent dessert. With a flaky crust and refined with a generous dusting of cinnamon, this tart is creamy and luxurious. Served as a pie after dinner.
The dessert originated among migrants at the dutch cape colony in the 17th century, and is seen having progressed from the Dutch mattentaart, a cheesecake -like dessert which was found in the cookbook Een Notabel Boexcken Van Cokeryen (A Notable Book of Cookery) published by Thomas van der Noot around 1514.
Ingredients –
- Cake flour
- Baking powder
- Cinnamon sticks
- Custard powder
- Mazina or Cornflour
- Sugar
- Milk
- Salt
- Butter
We begin with making the tart base –
- Take a dish and include 1 ½ flour, 1 tsp baking powder, pinch of salt, 2 tbsp of milk, ½ cup of powdered sugar. Mix it thoroughly using your hands.
- Next, add the butter and fold it into dough. Your tart dough is ready.
- Take the tart tray and grease it with butter. Take a spoonful portion of dough and adjust the dough evenly on the tart tray. Make sure the base is not overly thick.
- Take a fork and pork it throughout. Bake it at 1800 C for 15-20 mins.
- Custard topping of the tart
Method
Take a pan and include 3 cups of milk, ½ cup sugar, ¼ butter and let it heat.
Take a small bowl add 1 ½ tbsp custard powder, 2 tbsp flour, 1 ½ tbsp. mazina or cornflour. Add limited water and make it a paste.
Add this paste to the pan and add cinnamon sticks. Stir it thoroughly and make sure there are no lumps.
Turn off the heat and allow the custard to cool.
After it cools, spread the custard evenly on the tart. Dust some cinnamon powder.
Refrigerate it for a few hours until it is set.
Your mouth watering melktert is ready to serve.
Happy baking!!