This easy Peppermint Crisp Tart is a classic South African dessert made with Tennis biscuits, caramel, whipped cream, and Peppermint Crisp chocolate. This frozen version is perfect for summer and can be made ahead.
If you love South African Desserts with a twist, you can't miss this Milktart Malva Pudding or these Milktart Pancakes.
Why You'll Love This South African Peppermint Crisp Tart
- Recipe name: Peppermint Crisp Tart
- Ready in: 4hrs 40 minutes (includes freezing time)
- Serves: 12 slices
- Main ingredients: Tennis biscuits, Nestle caramel treat, Nestle peppermint crisp chocolate bars, whipping cream, butter.
- Perfect for: An easy make-ahead dessert for summer.
- Why I love it: This no-bake recipe turns the classic South African fridge tart into a frozen dessert. I love how every bite surprises you with peppermint crisp chunks, caramel swirls, and pieces of crunchy Tennis biscuits.
- Calories: 513kcal
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Traditional Peppermint Crisp Tart is one of South Africa's best-known fridge tart desserts. The classic version uses Tennis biscuits, caramel, whipped cream, and Peppermint Crisp chocolate. My version takes those familiar flavors and turns them into a frozen Peppermint Crisp Tart you can prepare ahead of time and serve straight from the freezer.
If you are looking to tick off other South African dessert recipes, try this recipe for Malva Pudding, this one for Milk Tart, or this recipe for a Caramel and Peppermint Crisp Trifle.
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Key Ingredients
- Tennis biscuits - These coconut biscuits are a South African staple. A simple thin tea biscuit flavored with coconut, syrup, and butter. You can use plain digestive biscuits or graham crackers mixed with desiccated coconut as an alternative.
- Whipping cream - Use whipping cream with a fat content of about 33%.
- Caramel treat - Nestle caramel treat is a tinned dulce de leche. If you are unable to find it on shelves, make your own by boiling a tin of condensed milk
- Peppermint crisp bars- There is no real alternative for this chocolate bar! But if you can't find it, then look for milk chocolate with a peppermint-flavored center, like a mint Aero or Cadbury Mint Crisp. Don't choose peppermint chocolate with a running center.
- Bananas and cherries - These are entirely optional and not traditional to a peppermint crisp tart; I just love the combination of bananas and caramel!
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
Variations
The flavor of this dessert depends on the biscuits, caramel, and chocolate. Together, they make this a classic South African dessert. If you can't find these exact ingredients, you can still make this dessert; see the ingredient notes above for substitutions. If you would like a fridge-set option, see this recipe for a Peppermint Crisp Caramel Trifle.
How to Make a Peppermint Crisp Tart
- Step 1: In a food processor, blend the biscuits into fine crumbs. Melt the butter in the microwave and combine the two. Press the biscuit mixture into a loose-bottom tart tin.
- Step 2: Add the cream to a bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment and whip at medium speed until soft peaks form.
- Step 3: Loosen the caramel treat with a fork in a small mixing bowl and then add it to the fresh cream, reserving ¼ cup for decorating. Beat again until well combined and whipped to stiff peaks.
- Step 4: Using a rubber spatula, fold through the crushed biscuits and chopped chocolate into the whipped caramel cream mixture. Pour the mixture over the biscuit shell. Dot the remaining caramel mixture on top of the tart and swirl it through with a skewer.
- Step 5: Cover the tart with tin foil, place it in the freezer, and let it set for about 4 hours or overnight.
- Step 6: Once the tart has frozen, decorate it with extra fresh whipped cream, chopped peppermint crisp chocolate pieces, sliced bananas, and cherries. Slice and serve immediately.
Storage
Store any leftover tart in the freezer. Remove any extra toppings like the whipped cream, bananas, and chopped chocolate, then cover the tart with plastic wrap or store it in an airtight, freezer-safe container. The tart will keep in the freezer for about a month if stored properly.
Expert Tips
- Don't over-whip the cream; you want it smooth and silky, not clumpy.
- Freeze the tart long enough before serving; otherwise, it will fall apart when you slice it.
- Do not leave the tart out in the sun for long, as it will melt.
Peppermint Crisp Tart FAQs
A peppermint crisp tart is a popular South African fridge tart made with Tennis biscuits, caramel, whipped cream, and chopped Peppermint Crisp chocolate. Traditional versions are chilled in the refrigerator until set. This recipe is a frozen variation that's firmer and can be prepared ahead of time for serving on a hot summer day.
Unlike a traditional Peppermint Crisp fridge tart, this version is frozen before serving. The frozen filling makes it easy to slice and gives the caramel, peppermint chocolate, and crunchy biscuit base a delicious ice-cream-like texture.
Yes, this variation needs to be set in the freezer as it is intended to be served sliced as a frozen dessert. If you would like a fridge-set option, see this recipe for a Peppermint Crisp Caramel Trifle.
To make your own caramel for this recipe, boil a tin of condensed milk in a large pan for 2 hours. Always make sure the tin is covered with water; otherwise, it may explode. Allow the tin to cool completely before opening.
For this recipe, you can make a marie biscuit or graham cracker crust. If you want the coconut flavor of Tennis biscuits, add ¼ cup desiccated coconut to the biscuit mixture before pressing it into the tart tin.
If you don't have a loose-bottom tart tin, you can make this dessert in a loaf pan lined with plastic wrap and slice it to serve.
Absolutely! That is why this frozen variation works so well; you can make it ahead of time and then decorate and serve it when needed.
More Easy South African Desserts
If you love easy no-bake recipes, you can't miss trying these Chocolate Condensed Milk Truffles, these Espresso Panna Cottas, or these Mini Tiramisu Cups.
Happy Baking, With Love, Kitty
Please leave a star rating and comment below if you tried this recipe! And if you're wondering what to try next, have a look at this Classic Milktart Recipe!
📖 Recipe
Peppermint Crisp Tart
Equipment
- 1x loose-bottom tin 24cm (9-inch) diameter
Ingredients
Peppermint Crisp Tart
- 500 ml whipping cream
- 1 tin Nestle caramel treat
- 400 g tennis biscuits
- 150 g unsalted butter
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 peppermint crisp bars
Toppings
- 2 bananas, sliced
- 250 ml whipping cream
- 2 peppermint crisp bars
Instructions
- In a food processor blend 300grams of tennis biscuits until they are fine crumbs. Melt the butter in the microwave and combine the two. Press the biscuit mixture into a loose bottom tart tin.
- Add the cream to a bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment and whip at medium speed until soft peaks form.
- Loosen the caramel treat with a fork in a small mixing bowl and then add it to the fresh cream, reserving ¼ cup for decorating. Beat again until well combined and whipped to stiff peaks.
- Roughly chop the rest of the biscuits and cop the balance of the chocolate.
- Using a rubber spatula, fold through the rest of the biscuits and chopped chocolate into the whipped caramel cream mixture. Pour the mixture over the biscuit shell. Dot the remainder of the caramel mixture on top of the tart and swirl it through with a skewer.
- Cover the tart with tin foil and place the dessert into the freezer, and allow the tart to set for about 4 hours or overnight.
- Once the tart has frozen, decorate it with extra fresh whipped cream, chopped peppermint crisp chocolate pieces, and sliced bananas. Slice and serve immediately.
Notes
- Cold cream whips better than room-temperature cream, so keep it in the fridge until you are ready to use it.
- Serve straight from the freezer, and any leftovers back into the fridge after slicing.
Juliet says
Came out great. Only thing I changed was chilling it overnight in the freezer instead of the fridge
withlovekitty2020 says
Hi Juliet! I'm go glad you loved this recipe, definitely one of my favourites 🙂