Ingredients

Method

For the base:
• 400 g puff pastry
For the filling:
• 2 cups milk
• 1 stick cinnamon
• 60 g butter
• 70 g cake flour
• 2 T sugar
• a pinch salt 
• 4 free-range egg yolks
• ½ t vanilla extract
• 4 free-range egg whites
• 50 g sugar
For the brûlée top:
• caster sugar, for sprinkling

Method

Ingredients

 

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1. To make the base, spray a 23 cm springform cake tin with cooking spray. Line the base and sides of the tin with the pastry and keep in the fridge until needed.

2. To make the filling, pour the milk into a saucepan and add the cinnamon and butter. Heat to just below boiling point. Remove from the heat and let the milk infuse with the cinnamon. Cover with a lid and allow to stand for 30 minutes, then remove the cinnamon stick.

3. Preheat the oven to 240°C. Place the flour, sugar and salt in a bowl and add a bit of the infused milk to make a paste. Add the paste to the milk, then add the egg yolks. Place the saucepan over a low heat, mix well using a balloon whisk, ensuring there are no lumps. Keep stirring until the mixture reaches a porridge-like consistency. Add the vanilla and remove from the heat. Allow to rest for 10 minutes.

4. Beat the egg whites until soft peaks form, then gradually add the sugar. Fold it into the porridge mixture. Pour into the prepared tin and bake for 10 minutes, then reduce the heat to 180°C and bake for a further 30 minutes. The filling will rise like a soufflé, but it will settle down later. Turn off your oven after 30 minutes and open the door slightly. Let it cool in the oven for another 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool to room temperature. 5 To make the brûlée top, sprinkle a thin layer of caster sugar on top of the tart. Use a blowtorch to gently caramelise the sugar.

Cook's note: “Most born-and-bred South Africans I know have a soft spot for milk tart, but I’ve noticed a strange trend emerging in the supermarket aisles of my home country – one that has turned the milk tart of old into a perky little custard fridge tart with cinnamon on top. No, no, no! As far as I’m concerned, a true milk tart has a generous puff pastry shell that harbours.