No-Bake Milk Tart Recipe

This creamy and smooth milk tart is a no-bake treat made with a biscuit base and sweetened with condensed milk.

A sprinkle of cinnamon on top adds a warm touch. It’s a classic South African dessert that’s simple and comforting.

What is a Milk Tart?

Milk tart, known as melktert in Afrikaans, is a delightful dessert with a creamy milk-flavored custard filling.

This filling rests on either a soft pastry crust or a crumbly biscuit base, with a light sprinkle of ground cinnamon adding the finishing touch.

For many, this dessert feels like a warm hug, firmly belonging to South Africa’s comfort food traditions.

The origins of this beloved treat trace back to the Dutch settlers of the 17th century in the Cape Colony (present-day South Africa).

It is believed to have evolved from a similar Dutch pastry called mattentaart, blending history and flavor into every bite.

Traditional Milk Tart vs No-Bake Milk Tart

A classic milk tart features a sugary biscuit crust filled with a creamy milk mixture that’s gently cooked before baking.

The baking process ensures the filling firms up just enough while staying soft and smooth.

This version uses a condensed milk filling prepared on the stove, then poured over a layer of whole tennis biscuits or a biscuit crumb base.

It gets its sweetness entirely from the condensed milk, making it rich and flavorful.

Both types of milk tart offer a delightful treat, each bringing its own unique taste due to the different sweeteners and preparation styles used.

Recipe Ingredients

Here are some notes on the ingredients used in this recipe. Please see the recipe card for quantities.

Biscuit Base Ingredients

Tennis Biscuits are a great choice for a biscuit base and bring a familiar coconut flavor that many South Africans enjoy. These tea biscuits have a distinct coconut taste.

If you don’t have Tennis Biscuits, you can use plain vanilla biscuits like Marie Biscuits. In New Zealand and Australia, Krispie or Wine biscuits work well as alternatives.

For butter, I use New Zealand butter, known for its rich yellow color and about 82% butterfat. If you use a different type of biscuit, you might need to adjust the butter slightly to ensure the base holds together properly.

Milk Tart Filling Ingredients

For this recipe, I only use whole milk or full-fat milk. I haven’t tried it with lower-fat options, so I can’t say how well they’d work.

Condensed milk is a key ingredient here. It brings both sweetness and a rich milk flavor to the tart. If you’d rather use regular sugar, you can substitute 130 grams (about ⅔ cup) of plain white sugar instead. Just remember to increase the milk to 850 milliliters. Keep in mind that evaporated milk isn’t a suitable replacement for condensed milk.

Cornstarch, which is also called Maizena in South Africa or cornflour in the UK, Australia, and New Zealand, is essential. I’m referring to the finely ground, white variety.

Cinnamon sticks add a gentle cinnamon taste to the filling, while vanilla enhances it with a nice, warm flavor.

For salt, I use table salt. If you’re using Morton Kosher Salt or Diamond Crystal, the amounts differ slightly, so adjust accordingly.

For the eggs, I stick with large ones, usually labeled as number 7. Four eggs are just the right amount for this recipe.

As for how to handle the eggs, some older recipes suggest separating the yolks and whites, whipping the whites, and folding them in separately. Honestly, for this tart, you don’t need to go through all that extra work—it’s perfectly fine to use them as they are.

How to Make a No-Bake Milk Tart

To make the biscuit base, you have two simple options:

Option 1: Arrange tennis biscuits in a glass dish that can hold about 1.2 to 1.5 liters. Once done, set it aside.

Option 2: Create a crushed biscuit base with butter. Start by preparing a 23cm springform tin. Cut a piece of baking paper slightly larger than the tin, about 5cm or 2 inches bigger. Scrunch the paper into a loose ball, then spread it out over the base. Press it gently into the edges of the tin’s bottom. You might find it easier with an extra hand to hold the paper in place. Next, secure the sides of the tin over the paper.

Use a food processor to finely crush the tennis biscuits until most of them have a sandy texture. Add melted butter to the crumbs and mix well. Transfer this mixture to the prepared tin, pressing it down firmly to cover the bottom and about 3cm (a little over an inch) up the sides. Ensure the edges are thin, about 2-3mm. Chill the base in the fridge for an hour.

Tip: Finely crushing the biscuits is essential to make sure the base stays firm and doesn’t fall apart.

Whisk together the eggs, water and cornstarch

Start by mixing the eggs and water together in a bowl until they blend smoothly. Once done, add the cornstarch and stir well until the mixture is uniform. Be sure to mix in this order, as adding cornstarch first could make the mixture too thick.

Bring the Milk to a Boil

Next, heat the milk. Pour the milk, condensed milk, vanilla, and cinnamon sticks into a medium pot. Warm it on the stove, stirring occasionally to dissolve the condensed milk completely. When it starts to boil, reduce the heat to low and remove the cinnamon sticks.

Add in the Eggs

Rewhisk the egg mixture to ensure it’s smooth, then slowly pour it into the milk while stirring constantly. Keep whisking as it cooks, allowing the mixture to thicken until you can clearly see lines left by the whisk. This process can take 5 to 15 minutes. Once thickened, remove it from the heat.

Make sure the filling is properly thick before using it. If it’s undercooked, it won’t set when chilled. If it looks lumpy, strain it through a sieve before pouring it onto the biscuit base.

Fill the Biscuit Base

Let the milk cool down for about five minutes, stirring it occasionally. Once it has cooled, pour it carefully over the biscuit layer you’ve prepared.

If the biscuits aren’t fixed in place, they might shift slightly as you pour. In that case, gently nudge them back into position using a fork.

Tip: If you’re using a springform pan with a pressed biscuit base, rotate the pan slowly to spread the filling evenly.

Cover with Clingfilm

Place a layer of plastic wrap or cling film over the filling and let it cool down until it’s just warm at room temperature. Then, put it in the fridge and leave it there for at least 4 hours or overnight.

Sprinkle with Cinnamon

Gently remove the cling film and sprinkle with about 1 tablespoon of cinnamon. Slice, serve, and enjoy.

Storage and Freezing

You can keep this milk tart in the fridge for about 5 days. If you want to freeze it, I’ve done that before with no big changes to how it turns out. It can be frozen for up to 6 weeks. When you’re ready to eat it, just take it out and put it in the fridge to thaw, which might take up to 24 hours.

Recipe Card

No-Bake Milk Tart Recipe

Emily Johnson

This simple, creamy, no-bake milk tart is placed on a base made of Tennis biscuits. It's sweetened with condensed milk and finished off with a sprinkle of cinnamon.

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Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 30 minutes mins

Chilling Time 3 hours hrs

Total Time 3 hours hrs 40 minutes mins

Course Dessert

Cuisine South African

Servings 10 slices

Calories 320 kcal

Equipment

• 9" round (23cm) Springform Pan (or a baking dish that will hold about 1.2-1.5L of liquid)

Ingredients

  

Biscuit Base

• 200 grams Tennis Biscuits 1 packet – crushed or processed
• 100 grams butter melted

Milk Tart Filling

• 4 large eggs
• 45 ml water
• 60 grams cornstarch
• 720 grams milk whole/full-fat
• 395 grams sweetened condensed milk 1 tin/14 oz.
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 2 cinnamon sticks quills
• 1 teaspoon table salt
• 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon

Instructions

 

Biscuit Base Option 1

• Place tennis biscuits in the bottom of a glass dish that can hold around 1.2 to 1.5 liters, then set it aside.
  200 grams Tennis Biscuits

Biscuit Base Option 2

• Take a square piece of baking paper that’s about 2 inches (or 5 cm) bigger than a 23 cm springform pan. Crumple the paper into a ball and then spread it over the bottom of the pan. Press it into the corners of the pan (you might need some help with this) and then attach the sides of the pan.
• Next, crush the tennis biscuits in a food processor until most of them turn into a fine, sandy texture. Add in the melted butter and mix well. Pour this mixture into the pan and press it down firmly at the bottom, making sure to push it up the sides a little (about 3 cm or just over an inch). The sides should be thin, about 2-3 mm. Place the pan in the fridge for an hour to set.
  100 grams butter

Filling

• Whisk together eggs and water until well combined. Then add in the cornstarch and whisk until well combined.
  4 large eggs, 45 ml water, 60 grams cornstarch
• Place the milk, condensed milk, vanilla and cinnamon sticks in a medium-sized pot. Bring to a boil, whisking occasionally to make sure the condensed milk has fully dissolved. Once the milk has come to a boil, turn down the heat to low and remove the cinnamon sticks.
  720 grams milk, 395 grams sweetened condensed milk, 1 tablespoon vanilla extract, 2 cinnamon sticks, 1 teaspoon table salt
• Rewhisk the egg mixture. Then slowly, while continuously whisking pour the egg mixture into the milk mixture. Whisk continuously while cooking the filling until it is thick, and the whisk is leaving a very distinct line in the filling. This will take between 5 and 15 minutes. Remove from the heat.
• Allow the milk to cool for about 5 minutes whisking occasionally and then pour into the prepared biscuit base. If using loose biscuits, they may move around a bit during the process. Just use a fork to gently prod them back into place.
• Cover the top of the filling with cling film or plastic wrap and allow it to cool until lukewarm at room temperature. Place in the fridge and allow to sit for at least 4 hours, preferably overnight.
• Gently remove the cling film and sprinkle with about 1 tablespoon of cinnamon. Slice, serve and enjoy.
  1 tablespoon ground cinnamon

Notes

The biscuits need to be crushed until most of them have a texture like sand. I’ve tried using a coarser grind before, but the base won’t hold the filling properly. Trust me on this!

The eggs should be beaten with water before adding the cornstarch. If you add the cornstarch too early, it will be really hard to mix everything together (it’s a bit like science magic!).

The filling should be cooked until it’s thick but still soft. You’ll know it’s ready when you whisk it, and the mixture leaves clear marks. If it’s not cooked enough, it won’t set properly.

You can store this milk tart in the fridge for up to 5 days. If you want to freeze it, I’ve done it before with no major change in texture. You can freeze it for up to 6 weeks, but remember to thaw it in the fridge for up to 24 hours.

The original recipe used 850 grams of milk, but I tried it with 720 grams to make it easier. You can choose between 720 and 850 grams of milk – it works both ways!