Cook: Refrigerate 24 hrs

My grandchildren asked me to make them a melktert (milk tart), South Africa’s all-time favourite. Naturally, I couldn’t wait to get home and start baking. After cleaning out my storage shed I found recipe files and books going back 35 years.

The page for this recipe was torn, but there was a handwritten note on top that stated “outstanding recipe”. What a find of hidden treasures that day proved to be. Best of all, the melktert was just in time for Shavuot when we traditionally eat milk-based dishes. If you cannot find Nuttikrusts or Tennis biscuits then Rich Tea biscuits can be substituted.

If you’re making a non-dairy version, ensure that the biscuits are dairy-free too.

Recipe adapted from A Taste of South Africa with the Kosher Butcher’s Wife, Penguin Random House

Ingredients

Name: Bobby Shar's melktart
Prep time: 30 min
Ingredients: Base: 200–250g tea biscuits, Nuttikrusts or Tennis biscuits, crushed 150g butter or margarine, melted Filling: 1 litre milk (or 500ml Rich’s dairy creamer mixed with 500ml water for a dairy-free option) 3 tbsp butter or margarine 1 x 395g can condensed milk (or 200g sugar to keep it dairy-free) A pinch salt 1 heaped tbsp custard powder 3 tbsp cornflour 3 eggs, lightly beaten 2 tsp vanilla essence Ground cinnamon for sprinkling

Base:

200–250g tea biscuits, Nuttikrusts or Tennis biscuits, crushed

150g butter or margarine, melted

Filling:

1 litre milk (or 500ml Rich’s dairy creamer mixed with 500ml water for a dairy-free option)

3 tbsp butter or margarine

1 x 395g can condensed milk (or 200g sugar to keep it dairy-free)

A pinch salt

1 heaped tbsp custard powder

3 tbsp cornflour

3 eggs, lightly beaten

2 tsp vanilla essence

Ground cinnamon for sprinkling