Milk Tart/Meltert – Easy, Rich and Creamy – Perfect entertaining pie with an easy press-on pastry crust.
It doesn’t take much to make this delicious, perfect-for-entertaining tart. This popular South African milk tart qualifies as one of those quick and easy tarts to whip up in a pinch.
All the ingredients for this milk tart are right in your pantry – no extra shopping needed and it is all made from scratch. And the best part – it is very comforting and great for the holiday season.
Milk Tart or as the Afrikaans call it Meltert is a creamy milky tart. A little reminiscent of custard pie but more delicate, with a lighter texture and a strong milk presence. Don’t wait for this pie to firm up – it just doesn’t, more of a pudding with a crust.
It is made with a sweet pastry crust often referred to as Pate sablée, the good thing about this pastry is that you do not have to worry about rolling it out – all you do is press the crust into the pie pan – freeze for 30 minutes and then bake without weight. Freezing prevents the pie from rising.
Here are a couple of tips when making milk tart
- You can make the crust ahead of time, bake and leave out until ready to be use.
- Use store bought pastry pie if you are pressed on time
- Switch up the flavors, I used nutmeg and cinnamon
- A lot of recipes call for throwing in a cinnamon stick so it infuses the milk mixture – if you have some handy by all means use it, if not just use cinnamon spice.
Enjoy!
Milk Tart/Meltert – Easy, Rich and Creamy -Perfect entertaining pie with an easy press on pastry crust.
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/3 cup confectioner’s sugar powdered sugar
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 9 Tablespoons unsalted butter(cold or frozen) , cut into small pieces
- 1 large egg yolk
- 2 1/4 cups milk
- 2 tablespoon butter
- 2 tablespoons flour
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 2 eggs
- ½ tablespoon vanilla extract
- ½ tablespoon almond extract
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon nutmeg or replace with cinnamon
- Butter or spray a 9-inch pie pan with a removable bottom – making sure it is has been adequately sprayed. Set aside
- Place flour, salt and sugar in a food processor pulse for a couple of times to mix ingredients.
- Throw in butter and pulse until rough dough forms.
-
Then add egg yolk - pulse until the dough barely comes.
- Remove dough place on a work surface - knead just enough to incorporate all the dough. Working the dough as little as possible.
- Do not overwork the dough; otherwise it’ll be too tough. When it’s ready, the dough will be barely moistened and come together into a ball.
- Lightly press the dough on the prepare pie pan – working from the center up until the bottom and sides are fully covered with pastry – again be very gentle when pressing the dough onto the pie pan.
- Place pie pan in the freezer and freeze for at least 30 minutes or more this helps prevent the dough from rising- if you are in a rush brick, then bake with beans to prevent rising.
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (205 degrees C) and place rack in center of oven
- Bake crust for about 20 to 25 minutes or until the crust is dry and golden browned. Set aside
- Place saucepan over medium heat, add butter, nutmeg and milk -bring to a boil and remove from the heat.
- In another bowl, mix together flour, cornstarch, sugar, vanilla and almond extract- whisk in eggs until smooth. Gently whisk into the saucepan making sure there are no lumps
- Now return the pan back on the stove – keep stirring constantly until in starts to bubble.
- Cook for about 5-6 minutes. Remove from heat and pour mixture into the baked pastry shell Sprinkle with cinnamon. Chill until ready to be served.
- You can make the crust ahead of time, bake and leave out until ready to be use.
- Use store bought pastry pie if you are press for time
- Switch up the flavors, I used nutmeg and cinnamon- just love the flavor combination
- A lot of recipes call for throwing in cinnamon stick so it infuses the milk mixture – if you have some handy by all means use it, if not just use cinnamon spice.
The best bit about this recipe is the easy pastry / sablé. Its a joy to work with compared to man other recipes that require a rolling pin and that are a pain to handle. Being a bit of a perfectionist, I love it when the pastry case looks immaculate before baking and that’s easy to do with this dough. this is now my go-to recipe for sweet shortcrust.
Oh, and the filling is pretty tasty too 🙂
Awesome!! I love immaculate looking pastry cases too ;). I am so glad this recipe is a hit with you, Ed! Thanks for stopping by!
Love this! As a South African I’m always looking for my favorite recipes that remind me of my childhood in SA. I have tried this both with and without the almond essence and I prefer without – Tastes much more like the original, the almond was overpowering to the overall taste.
Hi Nick. Wow, you must have had a really sweet childhood 🙂 ! I am glad you loved this recipe. True, almond essence is a little strong. Best to use only a little at a time. I am glad you found out what works for you. Thank you for stopping by 🙂 !
Hi, looks like a great recipe, just confused regarding point 3 and 4 in the filling, once it bubbles you remove it from heat or once it bubbles you stop stirring and continue cooking for 5-6 minutes?
Once it bubbles . You Stop stirring. , after mixing the mixing the rest of the ingredients – bring to a boil. Then reduce heat on low and let it cook for 5-6 minutes.
Hi Imma, I felt for a treat so I tried making the milk tart, it was quick and seemed easy however the filling is not setting, I’ve put it in the fridge but it’s still quite runny, can you think of something I might have done incorrectly?
I can’t say for sure without actually being present. If all else fails try adding about a tablespoon of cornstarch to the filling to thicken it up and make it set. This should be done during the cooking process.
Hi there. I know this a bit of an old recipe, but I’m hoping you still read these comments. Firstly, I made this recipe for my dad who loves milk tart but was never able to find one as good as his mother’s and he said this one was even better! I’m going to make it again at Christmas, but I want to make it ahead of time. How long does the crust alone keep in the fridge? I’ll make the filling closer to the time, but I do want to get the crust out of the way asap. Thanks!
So happy to hear this! It can last for a few days, for best results . Cover it tightly so it does not absorb any flavor from other food in the fridge.
Help, my batter didnt stay whiteish.. it turned brownish… i think i did something wrong. Also the almond extract is very strong.
Hi Lynette , It might have got slightly burnt when cooking the milk mixture – try reducing the heat . You don’t have to use almond extract leave it out completely. It’s a matter of preference.
Hi do i bake the filling or pop it in the fridge
Hi Ayesha! You do not bake the filling. When you pour the filling into the baked pastry shell, sprinkle with cinnamon and chill until ready to be served.
Awesome recipe that turned out just perfect! The crust was perfectly crumbly and the filling just the right taste and texture. As another South African pointed out, almond essence is not commonly used here and I left it out, and also used less spices in the filling to ensure a light colour and subtle taste. The nutmeg and cinnamon topping is traditional and a winner combination.
I am a South African (though admittedly of German descent) and this the first time I made milk tart. I have come across this blog many times before while looking up recipes for African dishes and it is always a source of inspiration and useful info. I will be back soon no doubt. Thank you!
The recipe looks good and I tried it but you need to edit your recipe as there is a mistake. You need to add cinnamon to the method part of your recipe for the filling. Because it is only listed in the ingredients part and not the method part for the filling, I forgot to include it until I had already poured the custard into the pie dish and then had to add cinnamon and stir the custard in my already baked pie. I would also put much less almond essence and nutmeg because this makes the tart not taste like a traditional milk tart.
Dear Imma,
South Africa is one of my favorite places in the world. I tried your recipe and it worked out perfectly and instantly transfers me back there. Thanks sooo much for sharing and I can’t wait to try more recipes. Best wishes from Europe 🙂
Marley
Hello. American here! I made a milktart for my neighbor and botched it up, not sure how. I looked for a better recipe, came across this one and just made it – the crust looks perfect, the filling smooth and creamy and it’s chilling now. Question? The one that came out poorly was baked in an unbaked shell. Your recipe only calls for the shell to be baked and the filling to be poured into the shell and cooled before cutting. Is there a “right” South African milk tart – that is, are they usually baked or usually not baked, like yours? Thanks for the pictures in the recipe instrucitons, helplful!
Hi Christine,
So happy to hear it worked out well for you.
I can’t say with all certainty if there is right or wrong way of making this. Recipes are evolving… in my opinion , it’s always makes sense to slightly bake the tart shell first , before adding the milk tart . Hope this helps
Hi Christine, traditional milk tarts are made simply by blending biscuits and butter to form a mouldable base. Just press it into the tin and add the filling then slap it in the fridge. No baking required 😉 Easy as pie. Love from South Africa xx
Hubby loved it thanks
How long does the tart keep for???
Hi. You may keep it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days.
Silly question but what type of milk do you recommend using? Full fat, semi skimmed or skimmed?
I would recommend full-fat milk because it makes it creamier. You could still use the semi-skimmed or skimmed if you are on a diet.
Can I make it without crust? Perhaps in individual ramekins? Or just Graham crust? It would be like custard only.
I haven’t tried making this without the crust. But those sounds amazing! Please do let me know how it went for you.
Im a chef on a boat that has about 20 south African crew. I often make them treats like this to make them happy. With this recipe they all agreed that it was pretty much perfect and bang on except for the almond flavour. I doubled the recipe so that’s 1 full tablespoon of essence. If i made it again i would just use a few drops. Other than that it was a great recipe and well received.
Thanks for the feedback!
I unfortunately do not have a food processor. Is it possible to make the dough without one?
You can, but that’d be a lot of work. Please do let me know how it turns out for you.
I don’t have one either but it’s easy enough to rub the butter into the dry ingredients with your fingers. I have just made this and the pastry was really good. Crisp and crumbly and not the slightest bit tough.
Amazing amazing amazing! Ever since living in South Africa for a few months I’ve loved making this pie- and this recipe is by far my favorite. I played a little with the flavors this time and subbed the nutmeg for some cardammon. Truly scrumptious. THANKYOU!!
Magic
In the method for the crust, it says, “add eggs”, but the crust recipe calls for just 1 egg yolk.
Do I use 1 egg yolk?
Thanks, can’t wait to try it 🙂
Yes, I do. I add one egg yolk to the crust.
Hi there why does it say “eggs” instead of egg in the pastry section? is there only 1 egg in the pastry or is there more?
Hi Janini! I add just 1 large egg yolk. Recipe corrected.
In Afrikaans it is actually called Melk-tert and not Mel-tert (‘Melk’ means milk and ‘tert’ means tart). I usually make my gran’s Melktert recipe, but I am excited to try yours this weekend!
Will comment on how it turned out 🙂
Can’t wait to hear your thoughts on this, Nita! Enjoy!
Absolute best melktert recipe ever! Thank you so much!
Thank you so much, Emma! Glad you like it.
Hi
A colleague brought Meltert to work today following your recipe. It was delicious and i plan to make it for a party next weekend.
I am a bit confused on the quantitty of the ‘butter’ mentioned in the recipe. Can you please write it down in this comment for me?
Xoxo
T.
HI, Tee. The recipe calls for 128 g (9 tbsp) of unsalted butter (cold or frozen cut into small pieces) for the pastry crust and 29 g (2 tbsp) of butter for the filling. Hope this helps.
I’m a South African and I’ve eaten *a lot* of milk tarts. Almost every weekend. School events. Parties. You name it. We’re no longer living in SA and my hubby requested it. I followed this recipe but left out the nutmeg as another SA lady suggested.
It was hands down the best milk tart I’ve ever eaten. Both my mom (visiting) and husband agreed! Thank you so much. I can’t wait to try more of your recipes!
Awww, thank you so much, Jo! That means a lot to me! Thank your for taking the time to share your feedback. 🙂
Hi, do you remember a South African cooking book, I remember only one word “ Kettle “
I am searching all over, cannot find it, maybe your Mom remember?
Please can u help?
Thanks a lot!!
Orlyn Ellison
orlyn.ellison@gmail.com
Are you referring to the Kettle Braai cookbook? If so, I have it
SO glad I’ve found this! Going to substitute the spices for lemon. My mom absolutely loves tarts but we never seem to have double cream in when I need it, didn’t think milk would set like this but it gives me all kinds of ideas!
Yes it does.
Hi,
What a lovely site. The recipe looks promising.
Any chance you know how many grams – are the equel – of the 9 TBLS noted in your recipe ?
Hi,
It’s about 125 grams. Thanks.
Thank you!
BTW, The tart turned out fabulous! ! My dad said it reminded him of sweet childhood memeorie 🙂
Awesome! Thank you so much for taking the time to share this with me.
Happy Holidays to you and your family!!!
Thank you for this great recipe!
Glad you liked it.
im going to make this in Belgium for husband and his family. but im lost at the butter for the crust… is it 9 tablespoons or 1 stick (what size? ) 1 tablespoon and 9 tablespoons… please advise. cant wait to make this…♡
Sorry about the confusion, it’s 9 Tablespoons butter.
As a South-African knowing a good milk tart, this one passes 100%. However, we dont add Nutmeg to the milk mixture in SA. I made it according to your recipe and the nutmeg was very overpowering in the milk mixture. So i would suggest that if you love it, add it but the original way is no nutmeg inside and only cinnamon on top. But other than that, lovely tart, great crumbly base
Awesome! Thanks for the feedback!
Love your website
Hi Antonio! Thanks for letting me know!
Wow Firstly!!
Please let me know if the custard fllling sets almost jello ish or liquidy. I prefer a more wobbly jello like finish and not runny custatd ,,, thank you in advance❤️
Hi Anisa! I think this would be perfect for you jello ish and wobbly .
Thanks for a super easy recipe!
Thanks for sharing. I was googling for milk tart recipes and I’m glad I clicked on your site. I do have a suggestion though. I think you should highlight the “Milk Filling” line same as the crust ingredients. I got confused how there was so much pastry crust ingredients. But still, you write really well and the photos are great also. Thank you.
Thanks Mary. Will do now.
Hey,
just wanted to tell you that I baked your Milk Tart and it was DELICIOUS!
Everything went good and the steps were really easy to follow.
Thank you for sharing!
Awesome! Glad it worked out well for you.
These look delicious. I like your desserts. I have an event where I can sell some of these desserts there. Hope they like them!
Thanks. They sure would.
I cant get my hands on corn starch or custard powder. Can I substitute the corn starch with potato starch?
You sure can.
You can use corn flour…… and you can buy both cornstarch and custard powder on Amazon.Com
Cornstarch is just plain old Maizena – I imagine you can get that anywhere? I think in some places it would be called “cornflour” which may be the source of the confusion.
Looks REALLY good, will definitely try it out! But one question: Is the tart still good the next day?
It sure is Sophia! Make sure you cover it to keep it fresh.
Can you freeze this milk tart after its been baked?
Carmen.I have never tried freezing it, so I can’t say for sure.Will definitely try freezing when I make it next time.
It does not thaw well – milktart never really does. The liquids make crystals when you freeze it and then there is some separation when they thaw again, because it doesn’t all thaw at the same speed. It becomes clumpy with some runny bits. I would rather eat it fresh and then make some more when you need it.
Thanks Jessica.
This tart looks amazing! Oh I’d love a bite out of that right about now.
Dear Imma, i am drooling,for the oddest reason, this reminds me of snickerdoodles and gooey butter cake …….all because of the cinnamon on topping.
Naa, you are going to go crazy once you take a bite. I almost finished eating the filling before pouring it into the pastry shell.
This looks sooooooo good!!!! (: G-d bless, Sis:)
Thanks Arisa.
I’m so amazed that the milk filling sets like that! I never would have guessed that from reading the ingredients. It’s giving me all sorts of ideas for other things I could use the filling for (because I have a fear of making my own pastries)! Pinning, thanks for sharing this Imma!!
Nagi, thanks for pinning.I can’t wait to see what you make out of this.