Milk Tart with Condensed Milk
This authentic South African milk tart recipe is, without a doubt, our all-time favourite! It features an easy Tennis biscuit base and a luxuriously creamy filling made with condensed milk and custard powder. It’s a no-bake, old-fashioned, cinnamony hug-on-a-plate.
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Equipment
- 1 23cm tart or cake tin with loose base - see blog post for detail
Ingredients
For the crust
- 200 grams Tennis biscuits - or Nice biscuits (UK), digestives or Marie biscuits etc
- 100 grams butter, melted
For the filling
- 700 millilitre full cream milk
- 1 can condensed milk - circa 390g/14oz
- 4 egg yolks
- 4 tablespoons water
- 4 tablespoons cornflour (Maizena) - level, not heaped
- 2 tablespoons custard powder - level, not heaped
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 30 grams butter - or two tablespoons
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- cinnamon for dusting
Instructions
Making the crust
- In a food processor, blitz the biscuits until they resemble coarse sand. Alternatively, you can crush them in a bag with a rolling pin, just make sure the texture is fairly fine.200 grams Tennis biscuits
- Melt the 100g butter in the microwave until it becomes liquid.100 grams butter, melted
- Add the melted butter to the biscuit crumbs and briefly blitz again until well combined.
- Tip the crumb mixture into the tart tin, pressing it down firmly across the bottom and up the sides. Place it in the fridge to firm up while you make the filling.
Making the filling
- In a large saucepan, combine the full cream milk and condensed milk.700 millilitre full cream milk, 1 can condensed milk
- Place the saucepan over medium heat and gently stir until the milk reaches boiling point. Be very careful not to burn the milk.Remove the pan from the heat while you prepare the egg mixture.
- In a bowl, whisk together the egg yolks and water.4 egg yolks, 4 tablespoons water
- Add the cornflour, custard powder and salt to the egg mixture.4 tablespoons cornflour (Maizena), 2 tablespoons custard powder, ¼ teaspoon salt
- Whisk the powders into the egg mixture until it's completely smooth without any lumps. You might need to hand-whisk vigorously for about a minute.
- Pour the egg mixture into the warm milk in the saucepan, place it over very low heat and immediately start whisking with a wire whisk.
- Whisk continuously for about 5-7 minutes until the mixture thickens and the whisk leaves distinct "trails" in the mixture. If it's not thick enough, the tart may not set properly - be patient.Keep the heat low throughout to prevent burning.
- Remove the pan from the heat and whisk in the two tablespoons of butter and vanilla extract.30 grams butter, 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- Pour the milk tart filling into the tart base until it reaches the top edge of the crust.
- Gently jiggle the tart from side to side to even out the filling. Allow it to cool slightly before placing it in the fridge for at least 4 hours or overnight to allow it to set.
- Once the milk tart has set, evenly sprinkle ground cinnamon over it to your liking.cinnamon for dusting
Notes
Top Tips
- The biscuit crumbs should resemble coarse sand. Larger pieces may cause the crust to break when removing it from the tin.
- If you're concerned about the tart sticking, lightly spray the tart tin with non-stick spray or apply a very thin coat of butter or oil.
- It's crucial not to let the milk burn. Even a slightly burnt taste can ruin the entire milk tart, so keep a close eye on it.
- Weigh and measure your ingredients accurately. See how to scoop the powders here.
- Even though the filling might start thickening around the 2-minute mark, continue whisking for a few more minutes to ensure the cornflour and custard powder are fully cooked and that it's sufficiently thickened.
- Keep the heat LOW!
- While whisking the filling, be sure to reach into the corners of the saucepan with the whisk to prevent any filling from accumulating there and potentially burning.
**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
Calories: 398kcal | Carbohydrates: 45g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 21g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 0.4g | Cholesterol: 136mg | Sodium: 336mg | Potassium: 325mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 30g | Vitamin A: 658IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 240mg | Iron: 1mg