Milk Tarts II

Well, I finally did it. Surrounded by an out-of-control Connecticut winter and the promise of another snow storm, I finally took the plunge and made an attempt at our favorite southern African tea-time goody in honor of a little Zimbabwean tea with friends: the Milk Tart.  I've talked about these tasty treats before; though seemingly common, they are a special taste of southern African cuisine that we simply will not allow a little ol' thing like geography to get in the way of .

Well loved and made with easily accessible ingredients, these tarts quickly became a familiar flavor in our African household.  Known also as a "melktert," this gentle, custard-like pie arrived in South Africa via Dutch Settlers in the 1600s. The family recipes that create these treasures can be considered family heirlooms in their own right.

 Here's my own personal recipe I have whipped up. Though not 400 years old, it does combine the best characteristics of three milk tart recipes and a little trial n' error into one delicious dessert. Do give them a try to bring a little South Africa into your kitchen.  Five year old assistant for hire!

 

Milk Tarts- This recipe makes 36-40 muffin-sized tarts (Wow, that's a lot of tarts! Halving the recipe works well, too!)

Crust

10 ounces butter, room temperature

1 cup sugar

4 eggs

5 1⁄2 cups flour

4 teaspoons baking powder

scant 1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon almond extract or vanilla

Filling

4 1⁄4 cups milk

3 tablespoons butter

4 tablespoons flour

4 tablespoons cornstarch

3⁄4 cup sugar

3 (beaten) eggs

1 tablespoon vanilla

To sprinkle on top:

1 teaspoon cinnamon

2 tablespoons sugar

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

For crust: Cream butter and sugar.

Add eggs, then flour, salt and baking powder.

Press dough into tart/muffin tins that have been buttered and slightly sprinkled with sugar.

Prick the shell of each tart all over with a fork and bake for 10 minutes.

No further baking is required.

For filling:

Melt butter in pot on stove, then add flour and stir in to make a roux.  Poor in 4 cups of milk and keep stirring. (Use other 1/4 cup of milk to dissolve cornstarch with.)

Once milk is boiling in pot, add cornstarch/milk mixture. Mix well. Add remaining ingredients (sugar, eggs, and vanilla), stirring well.

Whisk until custard thickens a bit.

Spoon into baked shells and sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar.

Place the tarts in the fridge (or freezer to speed things up!) to solidify and then serve.

  

The key to a good milk tart is having a good sprinkler.

Yum!  Enjoy!