Grootjies (Great Grandmother’s) Melktert

Meaning “milk tart” in Afrikaans, melktert is a South African dessert. It is a sweet pastry crust containing a creamy filling made from milk, flour, sugar and eggs. The ratio of milk to egg is higher than in a traditional European custard tart or Chinese egg tart, resulting in a lighter texture and a stronger milk flavour. Often served as a dessert and traditionally eaten on holidays –  no true Afrikaans South African celebration is complete without a melktert!’ – via Wikipedia

Image by Donne of Wedding Gifts Direct

Ingredients

Filling :

1/2 tin of condensed milk

1 litre of milk

2 eggs

1 heaped tablespoon custard powder

1 heaped tablespoon cornflower

1 tablespoon butter

pinch or two salt

1 tsp vanilla essence

cinnamon – we love lots of it but you can decide how much you want!

For the crust:

70 grams butter

A packet of tennis biscuits (from the South African shop) or Arnotts Nice biscuits – in fact you can use any biscuit you usually use for a crust.

Method

Crust:

Coat the tart dish with a thin layer of butter or oil to prevent sticking.

Crush the biscuits for the base – or you can use your KitchenAid.

Melt the butter be careful not to let it bubble too much – you wanted it melted but not bubbly.

Begin by adding the crumbs to your mixing bowl, switch your mixer on, then add the melted butter and mix until all the crumbs are coated with the melted butter – this works best if the mixture is evenly coated. Pour this mixture into your tart dish, ensure that it is evened out. You can use a spatula to do this or even an egg lifter.

Put this mixture in your tart dish into the fridge to cool.

The delicious filling:

Into a mixing bowl, add 250 ml of the milk, the cornstarch, custard powder and eggs beat thoroughly for about 2 mins and then set aside.

In a saucepan over a medium heat, bring the  condensed milk, the butter (for filling), salt and the rest of the milk to boil, stirring continuously.

When it starts to boil, take off the heat and slowly add the custard/cornstarch/egg mixture, still stirring continuously – use a spatula or egg lifter and scrape at the bottom of the pan. Place back onto the stove, and continue scraping over low heat until its cooked (I’d say about 3-5 mins).

Use the flat end of an egg lifter to scrape the bottom constantly while stirring. This will give you a deliciously smooth filling. Also it prevents the bottom from burning and distributes the heat evenly.

When it’s done, remove from heat, add the vanilla essence and the dissolved gelatine, mix through, then pour into the tart dish that has been chilling in the fridge. Smooth the top with a spoon or knife to get it even, then sprinkle cinnamon on top.

Let it cool for about 40 mins, then put it in the fridge for another 2 – 3 hours until it has set completely.

Serve cold.

One taste and you will be addicted for life!