Milk Tart
The iconic South African melktert elevated with natural brown sugar for a deeper, caramelised custard flavour.
Milk tart isn't just a dessert—it is part of South Africa's food heritage! A buttery, crisp pastry shell filled with silky-smooth milk custard and dusted with ground cinnamon. This version gets a tiny glow-up with one simple ingredient swap: natural brown sugar. It gives the custard a richer, golden colour and a subtle nutty, caramelised warmth that makes this homemade melktert unforgettable.
Before you start
Get your mise en place ready so nothing catches you out mid-cook.
Method
- 1
Make & Blind Bake the Pastry
Cream 125 g room-temperature butter and 120 g caster sugar together in a mixing bowl until light and fluffy. Beat in 1 egg until well incorporated.
- 2
Mix in 250 g all-purpose flour and 5 g baking powder until a soft, smooth dough forms.
- 3
Knead lightly on a floured surface, then press evenly into the base and sides of a greased tart tin, shaping the edges neatly.
The rest of this recipe
There's 8 more ingredients and 8 more steps to go.
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Ivana’s note
Swapping white sugar for natural brown sugar in the custard is the secret to this "glow-up"! It adds a subtle molasses undertone and a gorgeous deep butterscotch hue without making the tart overly sweet.
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