Melktert: A South African’s Favourite Dessert

Melktert is a spiced creamy custard pie that is a classic South African dessert recipe. This yummy milk tart is a go-to dessert for any celebration.

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No birthday, no celebration, no gathering is complete without finishing it off with a Melktert in South Africa. The Melktert is a traditional South African milk tart, that has a sweet flaky crust and is filled with a delicious milky custard-like filling topped with cinnamon powder.

The Dutch dairy farmers who settled in South Africa centuries ago around the Cape of Good Hope turned this custard pie dessert into a South African favourite. The cinnamon flavour was added by the Cape Malays and that’s how we got this delicious Melktert. This delicious Afrikaner dessert is always sought after and luckily for us, this easy milk tart recipe is not difficult to make. Let us delay no further….

What Ingredients Do You need to make Melkterts?

For the crust, you need butter, caster sugar, oil, egg, plain flour, baking powder, and a pinch of salt. For the filling, you need some milk, plain flour, cornflour, eggs, vanilla essence, sugar, and butter. For the Dusting, all you need is cinnamon powder.

How to Make This Melktert Recipe?

We start the Melktert Rezept with making the crust.

This is a really straightforward dough which you press out directly into the oven-proof tray. No need to mess around with a rolling pin.

First, add the butter and sugar together and mix until light and fluffy.

Add the other ingredients – namely oil, egg, plain flour, baking powder, and salt, and mix well. This should create a nice dough that you press out into the greased oven-proof dish. 

Some people like the crust thin, so if that is you, use half the dough and freeze the other half for the next melktert. One of my mom’s tricks is to start by adding the dough to the sides of the baking tray.

Place the dish with the pressed-out dough in a preheated oven at 180 degrees Celsius or 360 degrees Fahrenheit for 10 minutes or until the crust turns a light brown.

We can move onto the filling, whilst the crust is baking and cooling off. 

Melktert Filling isn’t Too Complicated!

This is best done with 3 bowls and a saucepan for the milk.  Place the milk in the saucepan, leaving about 100ml aside, and heat it till it starts to boil.

While that’s happening, in one of the bowls add the cornflour and flour. Add the leftover milk to the flour mixture and mix well.

In the other two bowls, separate the egg whites from the yolk.

Beat the egg yolks well before adding the sugar, vanilla essence, and butter.  Mix well and then add the flour mixture.  

In the other bowl, whisk the egg whites until it creates fluffy peaks when you lift out the whisk.

Do not forget to keep an eye on the milk in your saucepan. Just as it starts to boil add a little of this milk to the egg yolk mixture, mix well and then add it back into the milk.  Keep stirring continuously to ensure it doesn’t burn at the bottom.

After a few minutes the mixture should thicken up and if it’s still too runny mix a bit more cornflour with some milk adding it into the saucepan with the mixture until it has the right consistency.

Slowly add this mixture to the beaten egg whites and fold together well until you have a smooth filling.

Pour the filling into the cooled crust and finish off with a generous sprinkling of cinnamon powder. And your lekker maklike melktert is gereed! That means the delicious and easy South African milk tart is ready!

Cooking Tips And Tricks

• If you prefer a thin crust, use half the dough and freeze half for the next time you make this traditional South African dessert.
• For the crust, start by adding the dough to the sides of the tray first and then fill in the rest.
• No need for a rolling pin to roll the dough, you can do this by hand.
• You can make the crust ahead of time and make the custard filling on the day you need it.
• If the egg yolk mixture is too runny, add more cornflour mixed with a little milk to get the right consistency.
• Keep stirring the milk mixture on the flame to enusre it does not stick.
• Tastes great after a dinner of bobotie or ox-tail potjiekos.
• You might also like this apricot crumble recipe and these apple pie cookies.

Answers to Melktert Questions We’re Often Asked

What Is Melktert?

Melktert is a South African Milk tart, which is a spiced milky custard pie dessert topped with cinnamon powder.

Can You Freeze Melktert?

No, no, no, freezing is not recommended as the custard may change texture once thawed.

How Do You Serve Melktert?

Melktert is usually served chilled or at room temperature. It is cut into pie-shaped triangular slices.

Is This Melktert Resep The Same As Melktertjies Recipe?

No, although they taste similar, it’s not the same. Melktertjies is a South African liqueur or drink that also includes vodka and is had as an aperitif or after-dinner drink. I will post the Melktertjies Recipe soon!

How Long Does Milk Tart Last In The Fridge?

Melktert can be made in advance and kept covered in the fridge for up to 2 days. Leftovers can be stored in the fridge for 3 to 4 days.

Other Recipes You Might Like

• South African Romany Creams
• Coconut Pie
• Sweet Snacks shaped like Shells
• Easy Homemade Heart Cookies Recipe
• Semolina Date And Orange Cake