National Milk Tart Day is on February 27, and Vicky Crease has just revealed her decadent new recipe.
The “Stoutilicious Milk Tart”, as she calls it, puts a new twist on a classic South African dessert. Vicky uses Castle Milk Stout as an ingredient, which adds even more South African charm.
“Last year I created a Beeramisu dessert, using Castle Milk Stout in the traditional Italian dessert, and it was a great success,” says Vicky. “So I had to really think out of the box to try and beat that, and it came to me that milk tart is such a South African favourite, that it was possibly something I could put a new spin on.”
“Who can resist fresh cream infused with Castle Milk Stout to create a dessert which is cool for summer and also not too heavy as an after-dinner treat?”
She adds that the caramel shard adds a hint of sweet and salty into the mix, which is right on trend. For those who would like to try it at home, here’s the recipe:
Stoutilicious Milk Tart
Preparation: 1 hour, 10 minutes
Serves: 4
Ingredients
For the base:
• 2 tablespoons (30g butter)
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1 egg yolk
• ½ cup flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
For the filling:
• ½ cup full cream milk
• ½ tablespoon butter
• 1 egg separated
• Cold water
• 2 tablespoons corn flour
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• Cinnamon
For the poached pears:
• 1 vanilla pod
• 225g brown sugar
• 1 cinnamon powder
• 2 pears peeled, cut into slivers
• 1 can Castle Milk Stout
For the caramel shard:
• ½ cup castor sugar
• Baking sheet
Method
For the base:
1. Cream the butter and sugar
2. Add egg yolk and beat well
3. Add flour and baking powder and mix to form a soft dough
4. Press into 5cm muffin pans and prick well
5. Bake at 180 degrees until golden brown
For the filling:
1. Heat the milk and butter in a sauce pan on the stove
2. Place the egg yolk in a ¼ cup measure and fill with gold water, combine with the corn flour and stir till mixed
3. Add to the mixed mixture
4. Simmer until thick
5. Stir in the vanilla
6. Beat the egg white to make a meringue with the sugar
7. Fold into the thickened egg mixture
8. Pour into the pastry cases and dust with cinnamon sugar
For the poached pears:
1. Halve the vanilla pod lengthwise, scrape out the black seeds and put in a large saucepan with the Castle Milk Stout, sugar and cinnamon. Cut each piece of pod into three long thin strips, add to the pan, then lower in the pear slivers
2. Poach the pears, covered, for 20-30 minutes, making sure they are covered in the wine. The cooking time will very much depend on the ripeness of your pears
3. You can make these up 2 days ahead and chill
4. Remove the pears from the pan, let chill and top each milk tart with a pear sliver, sprinkle with cinnamon and vanilla pod
For the caramel shard:
1. In a sauce pan melt the sugar over low heat until dissolved
2. Swirl onto baking sheet, brake into shards and top each milk tart with a shard
Courtesy of Sarah Anderson: Corporate Image
