Melktert (Milk Tart)

Step 2: Line the dish

Heat the oven to 180°C. Press the dough evenly into a 23 cm pie dish, about 4 mm thick, and prick the base all over with a fork. Chill for 15 minutes.

Chill the crust · 15 min

Step 3: Blind-bake the crust

Line the crust with baking paper, fill it with dried beans or rice and bake for 15 minutes. Lift out the paper and beans and bake for 5 minutes more, until pale golden.

Blind bake · 15 min Crust, uncovered · 5 min

Tip: Keep the lined dish in the fridge until the oven is properly hot. Cold pastry holds its shape instead of slumping down the sides.

Step 4: Warm the milk

Heat the milk, cinnamon stick and butter in a saucepan until steaming, about 5 minutes. Don't let it boil.

Warm the milk · 5 min

Step 5: Mix the custard base

Whisk the sugar, cornflour, flour and eggs until smooth. Take the cinnamon stick out of the milk, whisk a cup of the hot milk into the eggs, then pour it all back into the pot.

Add the hot milk slowly while whisking, or the eggs will scramble.

Step 6: Cook until thick

Stir over medium-low heat for about 6 minutes, until the custard is thick and bubbles gently for a minute. Stir in the vanilla.

Custard · 6 min

Keep stirring and scrape the corners of the pot, or the custard catches and turns lumpy.

Step 7: Fill and set

Pour the hot custard into the crust, smooth the top and dust with cinnamon. Cool for 30 minutes, then refrigerate for at least 2 hours until set.

Cool · 30 min Set in the fridge · 2 hr