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You don’t need an oven to make a seriously good No Bake Silky Condensed Milk Tart.
Make this No Bake Silky Condensed Milk Tart for an easy unbaked dessert with creamy condensed milk custard and a buttery Tennis biscuit crust.
Why You Will Love and Enjoy No Bake Silky Condensed Milk Tart
- It’s unbaked: You get a creamy homemade tart without turning on the oven.
- The custard is seriously creamy: Condensed milk, eggs, and custard powder make a rich, silky filling.
- That biscuit base matters: The buttery Tennis biscuit layer gives every spoonful a lovely bit of crunch.
Additional Information
- Can this be stored? Yes. Cover the tart well and keep it refrigerated. It’s best enjoyed within 3 to 4 days. Because the filling is custard-based, don’t leave the tart sitting at room temperature for long periods.
- Can I use a different biscuit? Yes. Tennis biscuits are ideal for their classic flavour and texture, but you can substitute with another plain sweet tea biscuit, digestive biscuit, or graham-style biscuit. The important thing is that the crumbs combine firmly with the melted butter.
- Can I use less butter in the base? You can, but don’t reduce it too much. The butter is what helps the biscuit crumbs bind together once chilled. Start with 100 g melted butter for about 200 g biscuits and add a little more only if the mixture won’t hold when pressed.
- Can I use vanilla extract instead of vanilla essence? Yes. Use 1 tsp vanilla extract in place of 1 tsp vanilla essence.
- What if I don’t have custard powder? Custard powder is a key ingredient in this recipe because it helps thicken the filling and gives it that familiar custard flavour. If you don’t have it, a different custard recipe would be a better option rather than trying to replace it with a random amount of flour.
- What if my custard starts sticking to the bottom? The heat is probably too high, or you’re not stirring often enough. Keep the saucepan over low to medium-low heat and stir continuously once the custard powder mixture has been added.
- What if my custard looks lumpy? Whisk it vigorously while it’s still warm. If necessary, you can pass the cooked custard through a fine sieve before pouring it over the biscuit base. Don’t skip continuous stirring while cooking, as it’s the easiest way to prevent lumps.
- What if the eggs scramble? The most important thing is to temper them. Don’t pour the beaten eggs directly into the very hot custard. First whisk some hot custard into the eggs, then slowly return that mixture to the saucepan while whisking constantly.
No Bake Silky Condensed Milk Tart
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Refrigerate: 6 hours
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 6 hours 35 minutes
- Yield: 10–12 depending on size 1x
- Category: Cake Cupcakes Cookies and Tarts
- Method: Easy No Bake
- Cuisine: South African
Description
This No Bake Silky Condensed Milk Tart is the kind of dessert that looks impressive but is actually very straightforward to make. The custard turns out creamy, glossy and rich, while the buttery biscuit base gives you just the right bit of crunch underneath.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
Biscuit Base
- 1 packet (about 200 g) Tennis biscuits, crushed
- 100 g butter, melted
Custard Filling
- 1 can (397 g) sweetened condensed milk
- 3 tins of milk divided (use condensed milk tin to measure this)
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/4 cup + 1 tbsp custard powder
- 2 large eggs
- 2 tbsp butter
- 1 tsp vanilla essence
Instructions
Biscuit Base
- Crush 1 packet (about 200 g) Tennis biscuits into fine crumbs. You can use a food processor, or pop the biscuits into a sealed bag and crush them with a rolling pin. A few slightly larger crumbs are fine.
- Add 100 g melted butter to the crushed biscuits and mix until everything is evenly moistened and holds together when pressed. If your crumbs still look very dry, add a little more melted butter, 1 tbsp at a time.
- Press the biscuit mixture firmly into the base of a greased or lined dish.
- Aim for a base that’s at least 1 cm thick. Really press it down, especially around the edges, so it holds together when the tart is sliced.
- Place the biscuit base in the fridge while you make the custard.
Custard
- Pour 1 can (397 g) sweetened condensed milk and 2 ½ tins of milk into a large saucepan.
- Add 1/4 tsp salt and heat over low to medium-low heat, stirring often so the milk doesn’t catch on the bottom.
- Add the remaining ½ tin of milk into a jug or bowl.
- Add 1/4 cup + 1 tbsp custard powder and whisk until completely smooth. Don’t leave any dry lumps behind.
- Once the condensed milk mixture is hot and steaming but not boiling, slowly add the custard powder mixture, stirring continuously with a whisk.
- Keep cooking over low heat and stir continuously as the custard thickens. This can take several minutes. Don’t rush it by turning up the heat, as the bottom can catch and the custard can become lumpy.
- Once the custard is thick, creamy and glossy, remove the saucepan from the heat.
- Spoon about 1/2 cup of the hot custard into a small bowl or cup.
- Quickly whisk 2 eggs into this hot custard until smooth. This step tempers the eggs, so they warm up gradually instead of scrambling when they hit the hot mixture.
- Slowly pour the egg mixture back into the saucepan, whisking constantly.
- Return the saucepan to low heat and continue stirring for another 1 to 2 minutes, just until the custard is thick, smooth and cooked through.
- Remove the saucepan from the heat.
- Stir in 2 tbsp butter and 1 tsp vanilla essence until the butter has melted and the custard is silky and glossy.
- Pour the hot custard over the chilled biscuit base and gently smooth the top.
- Leave the tart at room temperature for about 10 minutes, then cover and refrigerate for at least 4 to 6 hours. For the cleanest slices and the best texture, I’d leave it in the fridge overnight.
- Serve Milk Tart well chilled.
Notes
Prepared, tried, and tested by Nazley
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What happens when condensed milk meets homemade custard? This tart.
I’ll say it: a good milk tart doesn’t need pastry to be brilliant. Give me a thick buttery biscuit base, silky custard and plenty of fridge time any day. Are you team biscuit base or team pastry base?
No Bake Silky Condensed Milk Tart delivers creamy condensed milk custard over a buttery, crisp biscuit layer. The smooth filling, satisfying base and chilled texture make this an easy dessert to crave, especially when a rich homemade treat is wanted without turning on the oven.
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