This classic fridge milk tart delivers everything you love about the traditional South African favourite – creamy custard, sweet biscuits and warm cinnamon spice. Chilled to perfection, it’s a simple dessert that’s smooth, nostalgic and always a crowd-pleaser.
Milk tart is the soft-spoken, yet unforgettable tart of the dessert world. It is one of South Africa’s most prized recipes. With this super-fast super easy fridge method, you will be able to make it effortlessly.
A Recipe Keepsake
This easy and quick to make fridge milk tart recipe is one that you will want to write down in your book of recipes-never-to-be-forgotten. Easy to make with affordable ingredients producing a subtly delicious flavour that simply does not get boring. And diverse! You can also choose to make a fridge milk tart without the crust. Producing a smooth creamy dessert that can be used as is or as a surprise filling for many things, like our Milk Tart Pancakes. Come to think of it, I wonder what a milk tart filled vetkoek would taste like…
Ingredients
For the Filling
- 1 litre Milk
- 3 tbsp Butter
- 4 Eggs
- 1 cup Sugar
- 3 tbsp Corn Flour
- 3 tbsp Cake Flour
- ½ tbsp Custard Powder
- ¼ tsp Salt
- 1 tsp Vanilla Essence
- 1 packet Biscuits
- Cinnamon Sugar to taste
For the Crust (optional)
- 1 cup Butter
- 1 tsp Cinnamon
- 1 packet Tennis Biscuits crushed
Instructions
Crust (optional
- Melt the butter with cinnamon and mix with the crushed Tennis biscuits. Press firmly into a greased pie dish, covering the base and sides. Refrigerate until firm.
Filling
- Line your dish with biscuits if not using the crust. Beat the eggs and sugar until light and fluffy.
- Mix corn flour, cake flour, custard powder, salt and vanilla with a little milk to form a smooth paste.
- Heat the remaining milk and butter in a saucepan until just boiling. Stir in the flour mixture, then add the egg mixture. Cook on very low heat, whisking continuously for about 10 minutes until thick and smooth. If needed, add a little extra corn flour mixed with milk to thicken.
- Simmer a few more minutes until the mixture reaches a thick custard consistency.
- Pour into the prepared dish, sprinkle with cinnamon sugar, cool, then refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving.
Traditional Smooth Milk Tart Recipe (Simple Fridge Dessert)
"A slice of milk tart is more than dessert – it’s a taste of comfort, tradition, and sweet cinnamon memories."
Ingredients
Method
For the Crust (optional)
- Melt 1 cup butter and 1 teaspoon of cinnamon then mix it with the packet of crushed Tennis biscuits.
- Press it into a greased pie dish at the bottom and on to the sides then refrigerate for a few hours before you make your Milk Tart mix.
For the Filling
- Prepare your dish for the milk tart by arranging the biscuits at the bottom and on the sides of the dish.
- Beat the eggs and sugar until fluffy and light.
- Make a mixture in a cup with the corn flour, flour, custard powder, salt and vanilla with a little of the milk so as to not form lumps.
- Pour milk and the butter in saucepan and bring to boil. Be careful not to burn the milk.
- Add the corn flour mixture and lastly the eggs and sugar.
- Place back on extremely low heat and constantly mix with a whisk while you let it simmer for at least 10 minutes until thickened and completely cooked. Be careful to not let it burn. If not thick enough, add a tablespoon of corn flour mixed with a little milk.
- Keep whisking until the sauce is blended and smooth.
- Simmer for another three to four minutes, whisking frequently. The mixture should have the consistency of a thick sauce.
- Pour in prepared dish. Sprinkle with cinnamon sugar.
- When cool, place in refrigerator for 1 hour or longer.