This delicious peppermint crisp fridge tart is made with Aero mint and offers suggestions to using alternative biscuits other than traditional Tennis biscuits - ideal for the Saffa expats, or if you just feel like switching it up.
Apart from a few swaps, this still tastes like the traditional South African dessert made with caramelised condensed milk, that we all grew up to know and love.
You can of course still make it the traditional way with Nestle's Peppermint Crisp chocolate and Bakers' Tennis biscuits. Measurements and instructions for both options will be provided in the recipe.
Personally, I prefer using Aero mint to Peppermint Crisp. It has a softer texture, a beautifully mild mint taste and it doesn't stick to your teeth like Peppermint Crisp does!
For other traditional South African dishes, why not try this easy Bobotie recipe with it's BFF basmati yellow rice! Alternatively, for other fridge tart recipes, have a look at this fun and easy marshmallow fridge tart.
Why make this recipe
- This is a super easy and quick recipe taking no more than 20 minutes to assemble.
- Easily scalable if you need a bigger or smaller tart.
- No cooking or baking involved.
- Foolproof - You really can't mess up a Peppermint Crisp tart!
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Ingredients and substitutions
Plain biscuits - Traditionally Peppermint Crisp tart is made with Tennis biscuits, a thin coconut biscuit. If you can't find Tennis biscuits where you are in the world, I would recommend any plain biscuit. Ideally, some sort of coconut biscuit would get you closer to the original taste, like Nice biscuits in the UK.
Truth be told, using a plain biscuit does not change the taste a vast amount. We've used Scottish shortbreads before. It was delicious!
Butter - You will only need butter if you are *not* going down the Tennis biscuit route. We will melt the butter and mix it with your choice of biscuit crumbs. This will form the base of the tart.
Double cream - For a lighter version, you can also use whipping cream, single cream or Orley Whip (available in South Africa only).
Castor sugar - Feel free to replace castor with icing sugar.
Caramelised condensed milk - You can buy this ready made in the shop. The best known and widely available brand is Nestle's Caramel Treat. Alternatively, you can make your own from a can of sweetened condensed milk.
Cornflour - Not many of the traditional recipes include cornflour, but I like to add a dash. It helps to firm up the caramel mixture, giving neater slices.
Aero mint - This is the 'twist' to this recipe and the solution for many forlorn Saffas like me who can't find Peppermint Crisp outside of South Africa. I hands down prefer Aero mint for this tart anyway. Apologies to all the hardcore traditionalists and forefathers/mothers undoubtedly spinning in their graves right now!
How to make Peppermint Crisp tart - Quick summary
- Crush 250g of the biscuits finely and mix with the butter. Press the biscuit mixture into the base of the dish.
- Whip the cream and castor sugar to firm peaks. In a separate bowl, give the caramelised condensed milk a quick whisk to smoothen it out. It will then be easier to combine with the cream. You can use the same beaters as you used for the cream, no need to wash them first.
- Add the cornflour along with the caramel to the cream. Whip together for about 1 minute, or until you have reasonably stiff peaks.
- Crush 100g of Aero mint into pieces and gently combine with the cream filling.
- Spread half the filling on top of the biscuit base. Crush the remaining biscuits into fine crumbs and scatter across the first layer of filling.
- Add the remaining filling on top of the biscuit crumb layer. Place in the fridge for a minimum of 4 hours. It really is at it's best if you leave it overnight.
- Crush the remaining 100g of Aero mint into pieces and scatter across the surface of the tart before serving.
If making the tart with Peppermint crisp chocolate and Tennis biscuits:
- Instead of making a crumb and butter crust, just place a layer of whole Tennis biscuits on the base of your dish.
- Use 2 x 49g Peppermint crisp bars instead of 100g Aero mint in the filling.
- Place another layer of Tennis biscuits between the two caramel layers instead of just crushed biscuits.
- Use the last 49g bar Peppermint crisp to grate over the top of tart.
How to store it
- Cover with cling film or foil and store in the fridge
- How long will Peppermint Crisp tart last? Up to three days when kept in the fridge.
- Can you freeze it? You can freeze it and have it as a frozen dessert. We would not recommend freezing and then defrosting it.
Variations
- Peppermint Crisp tart in glasses or jars - Instead of layering it into a dish, use the same recipe for the filling and alternate with crushed biscuits into glasses or jars. If you're keeping it traditional, crushed Tennis biscuits will work great!
- Topping ideas other than crushed mint chocolate - A drizzle of melted chocolate, more whipped cream, sliced banana, caramel sauce, biscuit crumbs and chocolate curls.
- Individual/mini Peppermint Crisp tarts/cups - Using crushed biscuits combined with melted butter (use tart base measurements below), line muffin pan holes to form the 'cups'. Spoon in the filling and top with crushed mint chocolate. Let them set in the fridge and gently lift the tarts out just before serving.
- Make a chocolate base by using any crushed chocolate biscuits combined with melted butter. Some biscuits to consider are Oreos, Romany Creams and Bourbons.
- Peppermint Crisp trifle - Add a dash of Amarula to the filling. In a glass trifle bowl, alternate the boozy filling with several layers of crushed biscuits. End with a flourish of crushed mint chocolate, chocolate curls and some mint leaves. Add a sparkler for good measure!
FAQ
Absolutely! Just replace the biscuit layers with any gluten free biscuit alternative
It's very much a South African invention and has been a popular dessert with most families since the 1970's.
Thankfully, not! A while back an unconfirmed source created a media storm on Twitter, falsely suggesting that Peppermint Crips chocolate will be discontinued in South Africa.
Nestle, who only sells Peppermint Crisp in South Africa, confirmed via a media statement that they definitely have no plans to discontinue it. They are only stopping the production of the 130g bags.
It needs to be left in the fridge for a minimum of 4 hours to set, but ideally overnight for best results.
Biltong Direct (https://biltongdirect.co.uk/peppermint-crisp-nestle-pepermintcrisp)
Recipe
Easy Peppermint Crisp tart with a twist
Equipment you may need
- 30cm x 20cm (11.8'' x 7.8'') dish
Ingredients
- 400 grams plain biscuits - e.g Nice biscuits (UK coconut), Tennis biscuits (SA coconut), Digestives, Graham crackers, Marie biscuits
- 70 grams melted butter - **You won't be needing the butter if you are using the traditional method**
- 250 millilitre double cream - or Orley whip
- 5 teaspoons caster sugar
- 1 tin caramelised condensed milk - like Nestle Carnation Treat 397g
- 2 teaspoons cornflour
- 200 gram Aero mint chocolate - or 3 x 49g bars of Peppermint Crisp
Instructions
Alternative method - Aero mint and no Tennis biscuits
- Prepare the dish by spreading a thin layer of butter across the surface of the dish, or using a non-stick spray
- Crush 250g of the biscuits finely and mix with the melted butter. Press evenly into the bottom of the dish
- Add the castor sugar to the double cream, or Orley Whip, and whip to firm peaks
- In a separate bowl and using the same beaters as you used for the cream, whip the caramelised condensed milk on a low speed to break it up, about 15 seconds
- Add the caramelised condensed milk along with the cornflour to the cream and whip together for 1 minute, or until firm peaks form
- Break 100g of the Aero mint into small pieces and gently combine this with the filling using a spatula or large spoon
- Spread half the filling onto the biscuit base
- Crush the other 150g of biscuits into small pieces and spread across the first filling layer
- Top the crumbs with the second half of the filling
- Place in the fridge for a minimum of 4 hours, but ideally overnight. Break the other 100g of Aero mint into pieces and scatter over the top
Traditional method
- Pack a layer of Tennis biscuits into the bottom of the dish
- Add the castor sugar to the double cream, or Orley Whip, and whip to firm peaks
- In a separate bowl and using the same beaters as you used for the cream, whip the caramelised condensed milk on a low speed to break it up, about 15 seconds
- Add the caramelised condensed milk along with the cornflour to the cream and whip together for 1 minute, or until firm peaks form
- Crush 2 x 49g Peppermint Crisp bars into small pieces and gently combine this with the filling using a spatula or large spoon
- Spread half the filling onto the first layer of Tennis biscuits
- Pack a layer of Tennis biscuits across the first filling layer
- Top the biscuits with the second half of the filling
- Place in the fridge for a minimum of 4 hours, but ideally overnight. Break the last bar of Peppermint Crisp into small pieces and scatter over the top
Notes
Nutrition
For food safety advice, including guidance on food allergies
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