An epicurean adventure to: South Africa
This easy-peasy Marshmallow fridge tart hails all the way from sunny South Africa. Picture fluffy, puffy, colourful marshmallows encased in a tangy, creamy filling, all resting on top of a crunchy ginger nut cookie base.
This tart is a special favourite in South Africa, just like the famous peppermint crisp tart. Don't miss out on trying them both!
If you love anything marshmallow like us, check out this recipe for easy homemade marshmallow fluff without corn syrup.
For other easy fridge tarts, also have a look at this dreamy white chocolate and ginger cheesecake.
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Fast facts - South Africa
| Location | Southernmost tip of the African continent. It is bordered by Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Eswatini (formerly Swaziland) and Lesotho. |
| Language | South Africa has 11 official languages, including English, Afrikaans, Zulu, Xhosa, Sotho, Tswana, Pedi, Venda, Tsonga, Swati, and Ndebele. English is widely spoken and is the language of business, while Zulu and Xhosa are the most commonly spoken African languages. |
| Population | Circa 60.2 million |
| Trivia | South Africa is the only country to have voluntarily abandoned its nuclear weapons program. It dismantled its six nuclear weapons in the early 1990s. |
What's to love about this recipe
- It's unpretentious, a bit retro and brings an element of fun to the table.
- Very easy to make and great to involve the kids with.
- No need to even turn the oven on.
- Marshmallow tart can be decorated in various ways.
- Most of the components are ready-made, it's just a matter of combining it.
- Makes a great summer dessert.
Key ingredient notes and substitutions
**Please see the recipe card at the bottom of this post for the full list of ingredients.
Ginger nut biscuits
Also known as gingers snaps. These biscuits are readily available in most supermarkets and will form part of the biscuit base.
Alternatively, you can use any other plain biscuits, like digestives biscuits, Graham crackers, Rich tea, Tennis biscuits, Marie biscuits (South Africa), to name but a few.
Butter
We'll mix the melted butter with the ginger crumbs to make the tart base.
Sweetened condensed milk
Depending on where you are in the world, cans of condensed milk may vary slightly in weight.
The difference is usually just a few grams (we use a 397g can). As long as the weight is close enough to this range, it won't impact the quality of the tart.
Lemon juice
Be sure to use freshly squeezed lemon juice for the recipe. Avoid using bottled lemon juice concentrate as it may affect the taste.
Double Cream
Also known as heavy cream. For a lighter tart, you can use single or whipping cream.
Mini marshmallows
You can usually find mini marshmallows in the baking aisles. Look for packs that have a variety of different colours, including the sought-after baby blue marshmallows.
These packs with blue marshmallows are like gold-dust, but if you're in the UK, you might find them at Home Bargains.
You can also use large marshmallows and cut them into smaller pieces with a pair of kitchen scissors.
Glaze cherries
Let's be honest, even the snobbiest of folks can't resist the charm of a glaze cherry, it's true!
How to make a marshmallow tart
The crust:
- Use a food processor to blitz the ginger nut biscuits into a fine crumb.
No food processor? No problem! Just put the ginger nut biscuits in a sturdy plastic bag and crush them with a rolling pin.
- Melt the butter either in the microwave or on the stove top and then combine it with the biscuit crumb.
- Press the crumb mixture firmly into the base of a baking dish, tart pan or an 8-inch springform cake tin.
You can use the back of a spoon or the bottom of a glass to smooth out and press the crumb mixture evenly into the base.
- Place the crust in the fridge to firm up whilst you get on with the filling.
The filling:
- In a large bowl, combine the condensed milk with the freshly squeezed lemon juice.
- Using a hand mixer, whisk or even a fork, whisk the mixture until it begins to thicken slightly. The lemon juice helps the condensed milk thicken.
- In another mixing bowl, whisk the cream until it forms stiff peaks.
- Gently combine the whipped cream with the condensed milk mixture by folding them together until well combined, being careful not to overmix.
- Fold in the mini marshmallows and glaze cherries.
- Spoon the marshmallow mixture onto the biscuit base, then use a spoon to smooth the top. Feel free to decorate it however you like!
- To allow the tart to firm up, place it in the fridge for a minimum of 6 hours. For the best results, it's recommended to leave it overnight.
A shortcut version
You can skip making a cookie crumb crust with butter and simply layer whole biscuits on the base of your dish.
Decoration ideas
- In the picture above we piped homemade marshmallow fluff on top of the tart and torched the tips with a kitchen torch.
Not only does it look fancy, but you will fill the house with the joyful smell of toasted marshmallow.
- Dollop or pipe whipped cream on top.
- Sprinkle with cookie crumbs.
- Scatter with mini marshmallows.
- Dot large marshmallows on top and toast with a kitchen torch.
- Leave it plain.
Storage suggestions
To keep the tart fresh, you can store it in the fridge for up to 3 days. Simply cover it with cling wrap, foil or place it in an airtight container.
Not suitable for freezing.
More easy recipes using condensed milk
Condensed milk cookies from South Africa
Choc chip cookies with condensed milk
Ice coffee with condensed milk
Tinginys - Lithuanian Lazy Cookies
Dark chocolate ice cream, no churn!
Easy peanut butter microwave fudge
Sequilhos - Brazilian cornflour cookies
FAQ
No, you can be creative and layer the mixture into glasses, alternating with the cookie crumbs.
This tart can be served at any occasion; afternoon or morning teas, birthdays, Christmases or just as a treat for your people at home. It works especially well with the soft pastels of a baby shower.
Yes, you can leave them out. It will make the tart slightly less sweet.
More delicious pudding recipes
Recipe
Easy Marshmallow fridge tart
Ingredients
For the base
- 200 gram ginger nut biscuits - crushed
- 60 gram butter - salted or unsalted, melted
For the filling
- 1 can condensed milk - 397g
- 90 millilitre lemon juice - freshly squeezed, approximately one large lemon will be needed
- 250 millilitre double or heavy cream
- 200 gram mini marshmallows
- 24 glaze cherries - halved
Instructions
For the base
- Blitz the 200g ginger nut biscuits in a food processor until they turn into a fine crumb. Alternatively, you can place the biscuits in a plastic bag and use a rolling pin to crush them into crumbs.
- Melt the 60g butter in the microwave, or on the stove top.
- Add the melted butter to the biscuit crumbs and mix through.
- Press the crumb mixture into the base of an approximately 20cm x 30cm/11'' x 8''/3.38 quart baking dish, or an 8'' springform cake pan. You can use the back of a spoon or the bottom of a glass to smooth out and press the crumb mixture evenly into the base.
- Place the crust in the fridge to firm up whilst you get on with the filling.
For the filling
- Empty the can of condensed milk into a mixing bowl.
- Add 90ml of freshly squeezed lemon juice to the condensed milk.
- Using a hand mixer, whisk or even a fork, whisk the mixture until it begins to thicken slightly. The lemon juice helps the condensed milk thicken.
- In another bowl, whisk the cream until it forms stiff peaks.
- Gently combine the whipped cream with the condensed milk mixture by folding them together until well combined, being careful not to overmix.
- Slice each of the twenty-four glaze cherries in half and add them, along with the 200g mini marshmallows, to the cream and condensed milk mixture. Gently stir them in to combine.
- Spoon the mixture onto the biscuit base, then use a spoon to smooth the top. Feel free to decorate it however you like!
- To allow the tart to firm up, place it in the fridge for a minimum of 6 hours. For the best results, it's recommended to leave it overnight.
- If you used a baking dish, you can serve the tart directly from it by lifting out individual squares with a cake lifter. If you used a springform cake tin, carefully remove the sides of the tin to release the tart and then transfer it to a round serving plate or cake stand.
**Nutritional data disclaimer**
Please keep in mind that the nutritional information provided below is calculated by a third party and we cannot guarantee the accuracy. We try our best to give you the most accurate information, but we do not take responsibility for errors that may be present. Also, the nutritional value of the recipe may change depending on the exact brands and products used. We recommend that you consult with a qualified healthcare professional or registered dietitian for personalised advice on your dietary needs.
Nutrition
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