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A milk tart on a plate

Air Fryer Milk Tart Recipe

Here’s the air fryer version of South Africa’s favourite tea-time treat.
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Course Dessert
Cuisine South African
Servings 8

Equipment

  • 1 air-fryer
  • 1 15cm pie tin

Ingredients
  

  • 1 roll Ready-made shortcrust pastry

Filling

  • 600 ml Full-cream milk
  • 2 Cinnamon sticks
  • 6 Cardamom pods
  • 100 ml Castor sugar (90g)
  • 65 ml Cake flour (35g)
  • 20 ml Cornflour
  • 1 pinch Salt
  • 45 ml Butter (40g)
  • 3 Eggs, large
  • 5 ml Vanilla essence
  • Ground cinnamon or cinnamon sugar, to serve

Instructions
 

  • Grease a 15cm pie tin. Unroll the pastry onto a lightly floured surface and roll out lightly so it is a little thinner. Cut out a circle to line the pie tin, and large enough to allow a little excess pastry to hang over the sides slightly. Place the pastry into the pie dish and prick the base a few times with a fork. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.
  • Preheat the air fryer to 160 °C. Put the pie tin into the basket and cook for 15-20 minutes or until the pastry is firm and a light golden colour. Remove from the air fryer and cool. Use a sharp serrated knife to trim off the excess pastry to leave a neat edge.
  • For the filling, heat the milk with the cinnamon sticks and cardamom pods. In a bowl, stir the sugar, flour, cornflour and a pinch of salt together and set aside. Bring the milk to the boil, then reduce the heat and add the sugar and flour mixture, whisking well to prevent lumps. Cook, stirring, for 10 minutes until thickened. Remove the cinnamon sticks and cardamom pods. Add the butter.
  • Whisk in the eggs and vanilla.
  • Pour the filling into the prepared crust and cook in the preheated air fryer at 160 °C for 25-30 minutes or until the filling is set, but still slightly wobbly. Set aside to cool.
  • Refrigerate until ready to serve. Serve sprinkled with cinnamon or cinnamon sugar.
Keyword dessert