Milk Tart is a traditional South African tart recipe which originated with the Dutch Dairy farmers in the Cape Of Good Hope in the 1700’s. In flavor it is subtle , creamy and delicious. The recipe I like to use comes from my sister Ali who is a fantastic cook and makes the best Milk Tart I have ever tasted. This recipe serves 6 – 8 . I infused mine with Rooibos tea , a local health tea which adds to the flavor.

Pastry

• 55 g of butter
• 1/4 cup castor sugar
• 1 egg beaten
• 1 cup flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 pinch salt

Switch on Oven and heat to 180 degrees Celsius. Cream butter an sugar together. Beat in egg and dry ingredients into a dough. Flour a surface and you rolling pin and roll out to fit your pie dish should not be more than 3mm. Oil your pan so the pastry will not stick – press dough into the pie dish. Bake blind at 180 degrees until golden. ( I use wax paper and sugar beans) Bake for 10 minutes – then remove paper and beans – and continue to bake until golden. Remove from oven.

Milk Custard Filling

• 2 1/4 cups fresh milk
• 20ml butter
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup castor sugar
• 20 ml flour
• 20 ml cornflour
• 1 pinch of salt – important or it can be to sweet?
• Ground Cinnamon

To prepare filling heat milk and butter in a double boiler or pot. Beat eggs and sugar together. Beat flour into egg mixture , then add cornflour and pinch of salt. Stir milk stir over a low heat until it thickens – do not boil. Once thickened pour into the pastry shell and sprinkle with cinnamon. Allow to cool and place in the fridge.

TIP ……..If you want to try something different – add a Rooibos or Honeybush teabag to the heated milk and infuse for 2 to 3 minutes before adding the egg and flour mix. I have also used a tablespoon of Amarula Liquor for a different flavor.

I used my muffin pan to create 8 individual mini milk tarts as I plan to use them for desert for a dinner party tonight and I find its easier to serve this way.

Author Leanne Gammon