Crustless Milk Tart

South Africa’s Own – Crustless Milk Tart

Crustless Milk Tart

An Old Time Treasure

This is a classic South African dish, passed down from the original Dutch settlers and the multitudes of inspired Afrikaans wives (boervrou) who are their descendants. There must be scores of recipes for milk tart and one or two in every ouma’s (granny’s) recipe collection! Of course, I had to fiddle around to make it healthier by today’s standards. But with the exception of the sugar (I use raw), it is a wholesome and nutritious treat using the whole meal flour. So healthy, in fact, that some of us (ahem, cough, cough), have even been known to eat it for breakfast!

Milk Tart

3 free-range, eggs, separated
1 Cup (250 ml) sugar
2 T (30 ml) melted butter
1 Cup (250 ml, un-sifted) fine whole wheat flour (I’ve even used brown bread flour, just put through a clean coffee grinder, if you want finer texture)
1 tsp (5ml) baking powder
pinch of sea-salt
4 Cups (1litre) whole milk
1 tsp (5ml) vanilla essence
1 tsp (5ml) ground cinnamon mixed with 3 T (45ml) sugar

Conversion Table

 
Preheat oven to 180ºC (350ºF).

Grease 2 x 1 liter pie pans with butter or spray with cooking spray (Pam)

Beat egg yolks, sugar and butter till creamy.

Mix flour, baking powder and salt together and beat it into the egg mixture a little at a time. Add your milk and vanilla and mix.

Whip the egg whites till firm and fold into milk mixture with a metal spoon. The resulting mixture will be thin. Don’t worry, it’s supposed to be… just put it in the prepared pan or pans. Carefully put it in the oven – the only dangerous step, it’s seriously sloshy – and bake until light brown and firm to the touch – about 45 minutes to an hour depending on your oven.

Crustless milk tart can be served hot or cold with a lovely mug of your favorite coffee/tea. Although the best is cappuccino.