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South African Milk Tart

Traditional South African Milk Tart (Melk Tert) has a soft buttery sweet crust pastry that is filled with creamy custard and sprinkled with cinnamon.
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Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Servings: 8
Course: Dessert
Calories: 278
Ingredients Method

Ingredients
  

  • 475 ml 2 cups milk
  • 120 ml 1/2 cup heavy cream
  • 5 egg yolks
  • 150 g 3/4 cup sugar
  • 35 g 2 1/2 tbsp cornstarch or cornflour
  • 30 g 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
  • 57 g 2 tbsp salted butter (or unsalted butter with 1/2 tsp salt)
  • 1/2 tsp almond extract
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
  • Pinch of nutmeg
  • 2 tsp cinnamon

Method
 

  1. Prepare the pastry according to recipe instructions and blind bake until golden brown and crisp. Allow to cool.
  2. In a saucepan over medium heat, combine milk, cream, vanilla extract, almond extract, and nutmeg. Heat until warm.
  3. In a mixing bowl, whisk together egg yolks, sugar, cornstarch, flour, and salt.
  4. Temper the egg mixture by gradually whisking in two ladles of the warm milk mixture.
  5. Pour the tempered egg mixture back into the saucepan and cook, whisking continuously, until thickened and smooth, about 2-3 minutes.
  6. Pass the custard through a fine-mesh sieve, then beat in the butter.
  7. Pour the custard into the prepared crust. Press a piece of parchment paper sprayed with cooking spray onto the surface of the custard to prevent a skin from forming.
  8. Chill the milk tart in the fridge for at least 4 hours, preferably overnight, until set.
  9. Before serving, dust the cinnamon over the milk tart, slice, and enjoy!