Honeybush Melktert (South African Milk Tart)
A creamy, cinnamon-dusted Cape Malay milk tart with honeybush infused into the custard—silky, gently sweet, and quintessentially South African.
Melktert—literally 'milk tart'—is South Africa's most beloved dessert, a thin shortcrust filled with a delicate vanilla custard and finished with a generous dusting of cinnamon. Infusing honeybush into the milk gives the custard a deeper amber color and a quiet honey hum that feels native to the dish.
The pastry is a simple butter-based shortcrust, blind-baked until just golden. The filling cooks on the stovetop with cornstarch and egg yolks until thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, then pours into the tart shell and sets in the fridge.
Steep the honeybush in the milk for a full 15 minutes off the heat. You want a noticeable amber color and clear honey-sweet aroma, not just a faint hint. Strain carefully so no leaves slip into the custard.
Cinnamon dusted heavily on top isn't optional—it's structural. The warm spice on the surface plays against the cool, silky custard underneath and pulls honeybush's gentle sweetness into something rounder and more grown-up.
Ingredients
- 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup cold butter, cubed
- 2 tbsp sugar
- 1 large egg yolk
- 2 tbsp ice water
- 3 cups whole milk
- 4 honeybush tea bags (or 4 tbsp loose honeybush)
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1/4 cup cornstarch
- 3 large eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 tbsp butter
- Ground cinnamon, for dusting (about 1 tbsp)
How to make it
- 1Make the crust: pulse flour, cold butter, and 2 tbsp sugar in a food processor until sandy. Add egg yolk and ice water; pulse just until dough comes together. Press into a flat disc, wrap, and chill 30 minutes.
- 2Roll dough out and press into a 23cm tart pan. Prick the base with a fork. Blind-bake at 180°C (350°F) for 15 minutes with baking weights, then 5 more minutes without, until lightly golden. Cool.
- 3Heat milk in a saucepan until just simmering. Remove from heat, add honeybush tea bags, cover, and steep 15 minutes. Squeeze and discard bags.
- 4In a bowl, whisk 1/2 cup sugar, cornstarch, and eggs until smooth. Slowly pour the warm honeybush milk into the egg mixture, whisking constantly.
- 5Return mixture to the saucepan over medium heat. Whisk constantly until it thickens and bubbles, about 6–8 minutes. Remove from heat and whisk in vanilla and butter.
- 6Pour the warm custard into the cooled tart shell. Smooth the top. Dust generously with ground cinnamon while still warm. Refrigerate at least 4 hours before slicing.
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