Marbled Milk Tart ( MelkTert )

Milk Tart is a traditional South African dessert that we used to always have at barbeques and get togethers in Zimbabwe when we were small. Someone always brought shortbread and there was always Milk Tart. The traditional tart is a vanilla scented set custard lightly dusted with cinnamon. It really is beautiful. But I decided to try out a chocolate version too just to see what it was like. So I just stirred some grated chocolate through some of the mix and added cocoa to the pastry. My marbling is a bit messy! But it did taste gorgeous.

I felt guilty because poor Bo always watches me baking but never gets to eat any of it! (Except for that time she horsed down three coffee cakes when I was on the phone.) Every food photo I take for the blog she is in the background tilting her head hopefully. She's after getting so big since we got her way back in February!

Marbled Milk Tart

Pastry:

125g butter

1/2 cup sugar

1 egg

1 1/2 cups plain flour

1/2 cup cocoa

Filling:

1 litre milk

1 tbsp butter

1 cup sugar

2 eggs

3 tbsp cornflour

3 tbsp flour

10 ml vanilla essence

100g dark chocolate, grated or well chopped

Method

• Put the butter, cocoa powder & flour into the food processor or use your fingers and rub the butter in well till it's a sandy consistency
• Next stir through the sugar and mix in the egg.
• Tip the lot into a pie dish or tart tin. Press the sandy mixture with your fingers to make a compact tart shell.
• Line the tart case with greaseproof paper and fill with baking beans or lentils. Bake @ 180 for 15 mins.
• For the filling bring the milk and butter to the boil. Carefully watch it doesn't boil over! 
• Cream the sugar, eggs, cornflour, flour and vanilla essence.
• Add some of the hot milk to the egg mix, then pour it back into the pot and heat until it thickens.
• Don't let it boil. Then pour the 3/4 of the filling into the tart case. Stir the grated chocolate through the remaining 1/4 and drag a cocktail stick or similar around till you get a marbled effect. do it. Leave to cool.

So it was nice but I learned that you should never mess with tastes from a childhood memory.When I tasted it I just thought 'What the?! That's not Milk Tart!! I can't taste cinnamon!'. So if you would like to try the original then omit the cocoa and use 2 cups of plain flour in the pastry and don't add chocolate to the filling. And then dust generously with cinnamon. Phew! That's the Milk Tart I know and love!

This is a really good tart recipe to have, simple and fast. And you can make it well in advance. It's also gorgeous with strawberries or fruit on top.

Lilly x