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Old-Fashioned Classic Milk Tart with Homemade Custard
South African-style Classic Milk with a buttery crust, creamy custard filling, and cinnamon topping.
Classic Milk Tart is one of those desserts that never really goes out of style. The crust is buttery, the filling is smooth, and the cinnamon makes it smell like home. It’s easy to make with pantry staples, and it always disappears fast.
Why You’ll Love Classic Milk Tart
- Easy enough for beginners but still impressive
- Creamy custard filling with just the right sweetness
- Light, buttery crust that doesn’t overwhelm
- Cinnamon topping for that warm, nostalgic flavor
Sometimes, I’ll make this tart when I just want something simple but nostalgic. The crust is buttery, the filling is creamy without being heavy, and that sprinkle of cinnamon on top seals the deal. It’s not fancy, but it’s the kind of thing you’ll keep sneaking forkfuls of from the fridge.
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Creamy Classic Milk Tart with Cinnamon
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Refrigerator Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
- Yield: 8 depending on size 1x
- Category: Cake, Cupcakes, Cookies and Tarts
- Method: Easy
Description
Every slice of Creamy Classic Milk brings comfort and nostalgia.
Ingredients
Crust
- 100 ml butter, softened
- 100 ml sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 200 ml cake flour, sifted
- 1 tsp baking powder
- Pinch of salt
Custard Filling
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 190°C (375°F).
- In a food processor (or with a hand mixer), blitz all the crust ingredients together until they form a soft dough.
- Press into a 24 cm tart dish.
- Pop it in the fridge while you make the filling.
- Warm the milk in a saucepan, don’t let it boil.
- In a bowl, beat the egg yolks and sugar until light and creamy.
- Add the flours and salt; it’ll look thick and lumpy, that’s fine.
- Whisk in a splash of the warm milk to loosen it up, then pour everything back into the saucepan.
- Cook over medium heat, whisking all the time, until the custard thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon. Take it off the heat and stir in the butter and vanilla.
- In a clean bowl, beat the egg whites until soft peaks form.
- Gently fold them into the warm custard.
- Pour the filling into your chilled crust. Dust with cinnamon.
- Bake for about 30 minutes, until set but still a little wobbly in the middle.
- Cool at least 30 minutes before slicing.
- Serve warm or cold.
Notes
Prepared, tried, and tested by Joy
Classic Milk Tart is a creamy South African dessert with a buttery crust and cinnamon topping. This easy tart recipe is perfect for family gatherings or holidays.
Classic Milk Tart offers a creamy custard filling layered inside a light, buttery crust, finished with a gentle sprinkle of cinnamon. It’s a timeless dessert that feels comforting yet impressive, easy enough for everyday baking while still perfect for special occasions.
Melktert, Afrikaans for “milk tart”, is a South African dessert consisting of 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 Portuguese custard tart (Pastel de nata) or Chinese egg tart (dan ta), in which was influenced by the Portuguese, resulting in a lighter texture and a stronger milk flavour. Some recipes require the custard to be baked in the crust, and others call for the custard to be prepared in advance and then placed in the crust before serving. Cinnamon is often sprinkled over its surface. The milk used for the custard can also be infused with a cinnamon stick before preparation.
Melktert is described as a dessert that shows distinctive Dutch traits.
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