8 proudly South African desserts that always steal the show

By TASTE, 5 September 2023

This heritage month, we’re putting the spotlight on our favourite local desserts.

Winter is almost over and we're looking forward to summer braais, pool parties and picnics. The mains may be sorted, but dessert is still up in the air. We've rounded up  8 crowd-pleasing desserts you should make this summer. These include a little bit of everything: fridge tarts, easy bakes, nostalgic flavours and modern twists.

1. Pumpkin fritters

This simple recipe yields 24 fritters, but we suggest doubling the quantities because once you pop, you just can’t stop. This recipe is failsafe and promises light, fluffy, cinnamony pumpkin fritters.

Get the recipe for pumpkin fritters here. 

2. Milk tart

From school bake sales to church fund-raisers, South Africans don’t need much convincing to serve a slice of milk tart. We're not messing with a classic here, Fatima Sydow's recipe is tried and tested, and promises all the flavours and textures you love about this tart. Fatima sometimes bakes hers in a rectangular tin and slices it into squares – a great idea if you want it to go further. Fatima Sydow milk tartGet the recipe for Fatima Sydow's milk tart here. 

3. Malva pudding

You can't name South African desserts without mentioning everyone's all-time favourite: malva pudding. No South African winter is complete with a generous slice of malva pudding and warm, velvety custard. This recipe is perfectly moist and has no frills, no additions, no strange substitutes – it's malva pudding the way we love it.

Individual malva puddings recipe

Get the recipe for malva pudding here. 

4. Peppermint Crisp tart

When it comes to summer braai desserts, it doesn’t get more classic than Peppermint Crisp tart. This creamy choc-mint tart will go down a treat at your next get-together.

Peppermint Crisp tart recipeGet the recipe for Peppermint Crisp tart here. 

5. Hertzoggies

This is an easy recipe that doesn’t require a lot of equipment or skill to make. Shortbread is topped with jam and coconut and sliced into squares. If you’re short on time, this is the dessert to make.Hertzoggie slices

Get the recipe for air-fryer hertzoggie slices here. 

6. Koesisters

Not to be confused with the braided doughnuts – koeksisters – these Cape Malay doughnuts are flavoured with warm spices, steeped in warm syrup and rolled in desiccated coconut. Enjoy with your favourite cup of tea on a Sunday morning to stick to tradition. KoesistersGet the recipe for koesisters here.

7. Cremora tart 

SA’s favourite coffee creamer gets the fridge tart treatment in this retro classic. Level up this recipe by adding stewed berries and stone fruit to cut through the richness of the tart.

Classic Cremora tartGet the recipe for classic Cremora tart here. 

8. Jelly and custard

After feasting on a seven-colours Sunday lunch, you have to stick to tradition and serve jelly and custard. TASTE contributor Keletso Motau combines the two desserts to make an awesome mould. The kids will love it and the grown-ups will definitely be transported to their childhoods. If you want to jazz up a classic without straying too far from the flavours you love, this is the recipe to make. Jelly-and-custard moulds

Get the recipe for jelly-and-custard moulds here. 

Find more local recipes here.

 

TASTE

Article by TASTE

The TASTE team is a happy bunch of keen cooks and writers, always on the look out for the next food trend or the next piece of cake.
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Comments

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    Laurel Govender
    9 September 2023

    I have enjoyed most of all from the scottsville mall Woolworths shop, the roast chicken which the family enjoys on a regular basis,weekly but how ever the pies are also wonderfull. I stay across the road so I the pies are bought more often. I need to get a Woolworths card for my shopping. The tuna fish is one of my favourites. Thank you!.