Is jy tarty? Variations of the lekker melktert

Hello Everyone!

Happy March! Before we head into the new month, let’s end February off on a sweet note.

On Sunday, 27 February, we celebrated National Milk Tart Day.

There’s nothing better than a slice of good old milk tart.

It is the one dessert that will make its way to any tea table and it definitely makes the list of South Africa’s favourite traditional desserts.

Be it round, square or rectangle, this creamy dessert has a layer of pastry filled with a warm, custard filling and has hints of vanilla and cinnamon, that’s baked to perfection.

Every aunty has their own way of making it and every recipe comes with a story to tell, that most times has been passed on through generations.

My favourite time to enjoy a milk tart is after a gadat. There’s always that one aunty that brings this wobbly tray filled with melktert love.

Melktert was introduced to the Cape in the 1600s by the Dutch settlers but in recent years this dessert has become increasingly popular, and it therefore comes as no surprise that there are countless recipes and variations of South Africa’s most loved tert.

Recently I came across milk tart milkshake, ice-cream, fudge and even spring rolls.

Give it a go and create some magic in your kitchen.

For more recipes and cooking inspiration, visit my website www.sprinklesandspice.co.za or visit my social media platforms @sprinklesandspicect or Sprinkles and Spice by Farzana Kumandan.

Happy Baking Love, Your Cooksister.

Recipes

Peppermint Crisp Milk Tart

Recipe Credit Chef Bradley Wright, Capsicum Culinary

Ingredients for Base

150g plain flour

75g unsalted butter

50g icing sugar

1 egg yolk, beaten

50g Peppermint Crisp, chilled

Method

Place the flour, unsalted butter, icing sugar and the peppermint crisp chocolate in a food processor and blend in short burst until it resembles breadcrumbs.

Tip into a bowl, add the beaten egg yolk and mix to form a dough.

If the dough looks too dry, add 1 tbsp water.

Shape the dough into a ball, flatten it out into a disc, wrap it in cling film and chill for at least 30 mins before using.

Pre-heat oven to 200ºC. Remove the dough from the fridge and roll out evenly on a floured surface.

Grease a flan pan with butter (or use Spray and Cook) and dust lightly with flour.

Gently place the rolled-out dough into the pan and neatly shape into the corners. Use a fork to poke holes in the base of the base.

Cover and place in the fridge for 30 minutes.

Once rested remove from the fridge and place greaseproof paper in the tart shell and cover with baking beans (or you can use uncooked rice).

Bake for 10 minutes, remove greaseproof paper and baking beans and bake for a further 5 minutes or until golden brown.

Turn off oven and leave the base in the oven for 10-15minutes, then remove and place on wire rack to cool.

Meanwhile make the filling.

Ingredients for Filling

500ml fresh milk

28g butter

20g flour

25g corn-starch

100g white sugar

2 large eggs

1 tsp vanilla essence

Method

Place a saucepan over medium heat and add the milk and butter and bring to a boil.

Remove from the heat. In another bowl, mix the flour, corn-starch, sugar and vanilla essence and whisk in eggs until smooth.

Gently whisk the mixture into the saucepan making sure there are no lumps.

Return the saucepan to the stove and keep stirring constantly until in starts to bubble.

Cook for about 5-6 minutes.

Pass through a strainer to get a smooth texture.

Ingredients for topping

50g Peppermint Crisp, chilled

1 tsp ground cinnamon (or more if preferred)

Method to assemble

Pour the warm custard into the baked pastry shell ensuring that it spreads evenly.

Allow to set and cool completely.

In a bowl finely grate the Peppermint Crisp and mix with the ground cinnamon and then sprinkle over the top of the tart.

Use a stencil to make it look even more fabulous!

Malva Pudding Milk tart

Recipe Credit @aniseeds

Ingredients for the Malva

250ml (1cup) sugar

1 egg

15ml soft butter (1tblsp)

60ml apricot jam (4 tbsps)

250ml milk (1 cup)

10ml (2tsps) vinegar

10ml vanilla essence (2 tsps)

125g cake flour (1 cup)

5ml bicarbonate of soda (1 tsp)

Ingredients for the Malva Sauce

125ml fresh cream

30g butter

4 tbsp sugar

30ml water

Method for the Malva

Preheat oven to 180C.

Beat sugar, egg, butter & jam till fluffy.

Combine milk, vanilla & vinegar.

Sift flour and bicarb &add to egg mixture alternately with the milk.

Pour into greased oven proof dish (30x20cm).

Cover with foil and bake for 40 - 50 minutes.

Check at 40 minutes.

Prepare sauce by adding all ingredients to a pot bringing to a boil.

Remove cake from oven& pour sauce over the top evenly.

Set aside.

Ingredients for the Milk Tart Filling

4,5 cups milk

3/4 cup sugar

3 eggs

2,5 tblsps flour

2,5 tblsps maizena

Method for the Milk Tart Filling

Heat milk and remove from heat. Do not boil.

Whisk egg and sugar together.

Pour 1 ladle of milk into the egg and mix.

Pour the egg mix into the milk in 1 slow steady stream whilst whisking well.

Add back onto heat and add in maizena. Whisk.

Add in flour and whisk. Allow to thicken well.

Remove from heat and add in 1 tsp vanilla essence and 1 tsp butter. Mix well.

Pour over malva layer.

Dust with cinnamon.

Cover well with plastic and refrigerate till set.

Once set, remove and enjoy cold or wait till it reaches room temperature.

Classic Cape Malay Milk Tart

Recipe Credit Farzana Kumandan @sprinklesandspicect

Ingredients for the base

250g soft butter (not melted)

125g sifted icing sugar

2 eggs

2 heaped cups flour

Method for the base

Cream the eggs, soft butter and sifted icing sugar until smooth.

Fold in the flour and mix with a wooden spoon until it forms a soft dough.

(If the dough is too sticky, the butter was too soft, add an extra ½ cup flour)

Press into a large black oven tray, ensuring you form a crust over the sides.

Pop in the freezer for 20 minutes.

Ingredients for the milk custard

8 large eggs (you can use 7 if you prefer it less firm)

2 tablespoons custard powder

A pinch of salt

2 tablespoons vanilla essence

1 teaspoon fine cardamom

1 Tin Condensed Milk

1¼ cups cold milk

1 cup cold water

3 tablespoons soft butter (cut in 12 small pieces)

Fine Cinnamon for dusting

Method for the milk custard

In mixer whisk the eggs, custard, salt, vanilla essence and condensed milk until smooth.

Add in the milk and water and whisk until well combined.

Lastly add the pieces of butter and cardamom.

Pour over the chilled base and dust with cinnamon.

Bake on 180degrees for 50 minutes on the lower part of the oven. (Do not preheat the oven)

Once the custard starts to expand and bubble, it's done.

Easy Stove Top Milk tart

Recipe Credit Farzana Kumandan @sprinklesandspicect

Ingredients

1 litre milk

2 tablespoon vanilla essence

1 tablespoon butter

1 cup sugar

Pinch of salt

3 tablespoons maizena or custard

3 tablespoons flour

3 eggs (separated)

Method

Bring to boil the milk, butter, sugar, salt and vanilla essence

Once boils, lower heat and add in maizena, flour and egg yolks (mixed in one bowl)

Stir milk mixture continuously with a whisk, till thick and lump free.

Lastly beat egg whites till stiff and soft peaks and fold into milk mixture till combined, smooth and creamy.

Slowly pour over a base made of crushed tennis biscuits mixed with 100g butter

(Chill base for a half hour before adding milk tart filling)

Sprinkle some fine cinnamon and chill overnight.

Microwave Milk tart

Recipe Credit Farzana Kumandan @sprinklesandspicect

Ingredients

500ml milk

2 eggs

½ cup sugar

25ml flour

30ml maizena

30ml custard

1 tsp vanilla

Tbsp butter

Cinnamon for sprinkling

Method

Boil milk in microwave.

In a separate bowl use an eggbeater to combine the eggs and the sugar.

Add flour, maizena, custard and milk and mix.

Microwave for 2 minutes then beat again.

Microwave for another 2 minutes.

Mixture will look set.

Stir in a tbsp of butter and vanilla.

Pour into prepared pie dish and sprinkle with cinnamon.

Once cooled, refrigerate overnight.