Description
Milk Tart (Melktert) is a traditional South African dessert featuring a creamy, cinnamon-infused custard filling baked in a crisp pie crust. This comforting tart blends rich whole milk with a delicate egg custard, dusted generously with ground cinnamon, resulting in a perfectly balanced sweet treat that is best served chilled.
Ingredients
Scale
Crust
- 1 pre-made 9-inch pie crust or homemade tart shell
Filling
- 2 cups whole milk
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 large eggs
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Ground cinnamon for dusting
Instructions
- Preheat oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). If using a homemade crust, blind bake it until it’s lightly golden, then set aside to cool.
- Heat milk mixture: In a saucepan over medium heat, combine the whole milk, cinnamon stick, and unsalted butter. Heat the mixture just below boiling point, then remove from heat and let it steep for 5 minutes to infuse the cinnamon flavor.
- Prepare egg mixture: In a separate mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs, granulated sugar, all-purpose flour, and cornstarch until smooth and fully combined.
- Combine mixtures: Slowly pour the warm milk mixture into the egg mixture while whisking constantly. Discard the cinnamon stick before pouring to avoid over-infusing and prevent curdling of the eggs.
- Cook custard: Return the combined mixture to the saucepan and cook it over medium heat. Stir continuously for about 5 to 7 minutes until the custard thickens and becomes smooth. Make sure to stir to avoid lumps or sticking.
- Add flavor: Remove the saucepan from heat and stir in the vanilla extract to enhance the custard’s aroma and depth of flavor.
- Fill crust: Pour the prepared custard into the pre-baked pie crust, smoothing the top evenly.
- Dust with cinnamon: Generously sprinkle ground cinnamon over the custard’s surface for a traditional finishing touch.
- Bake tart: Bake the tart in the preheated oven for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the filling is just set but still slightly jiggly at the center, indicating perfect texture.
- Cool and chill: Allow the tart to cool completely at room temperature, then refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving to let the flavors meld and the custard set firmly.
Notes
- Milk tart is traditionally served cold, as chilling enhances the flavors and texture.
- For a crustless version, skip the crust and pour the filling into a greased pie dish, then bake as directed.
- The cinnamon stick should be removed after steeping to avoid an overpowering cinnamon taste.
- Ensure constant stirring during custard cooking to prevent lumps and sticking.
