South African Desserts

If there is one thing that we South Africans know how to do, it's how to end off a meal properly! This is the list of my favorite South African Desserts, and I hope you give all of them a try. 

With Heritage Day around the corner, this dessert round-up couldn't come at a more perfect time! So, whether you're an expat looking for a taste of home or a local wondering how to end off your next braai, this post is for you. And trust me, your sweet tooth will thank you!

Trying these traditional South African dessert recipes is the best way to get a feel for all that South African cuisine has to offer. 

Malva Pudding 

South African Malva Pudding has to be top of this list, you can't say you've tried all that South African food has to offer without giving this baked sweet pudding a go. 

Traditional malvas are made with the usual suspects when it comes to ingredients but with the addition of apricot jam and bicarbonate of soda which helps give this dessert its dark color and caramelized flavor. 

Once baked, a sweet cream sauce made from butter, sugar, and cream is poured slowly over the malva cake as soon as it comes out of the oven. This sauce is the secret to a moist malva that I promise you won't be able to get enough of!

The malva pudding recipe I share on this blog was given to me by my great aunt, who's been baking for most of her 89 years! Serve this dessert with custard (has to be Ulta-mel) or with vanilla ice cream and tell me how hard it is not to finish the entire dish!

Milktart 

Milktart, more commonly known around these parts as melktert is an iconic South African dessert. It is a delicious tart that is made from a pastry base filled with a set milk-based custard and dusted with ground cinnamon or nutmeg.

When it comes to the pastry of this custard tart, I have seen lots of variations! But the recipe I share for this custard pie uses a shortcrust pastry recipe, that has been rolled very thin and blind-baked before adding the custard. This helps ensure a delicious crisp crust, which to me is the best part of any tart. 

I know it may sound difficult, but it's best to wait for this dessert to set properly before serving it. Allow the custard to cool and the tart to set for a few hours for the best results. This is my favorite tart recipe on the blog, so I really hope that you give this one a go because few things beat a well-made melktart!

Carmel and Peppermint Crisp Trifle 

The combination of caramel and peppermint crisp is beloved on this side of the world, and you'll see it used in all kinds of ways. This Caramel and Peppermint Crisp Trifle is a take on the classic peppermint and caramel tart but in trifle form. 

I love making this during Christmas time as it's an easy dessert to make ahead of time that feeds a lot of people! This trifle has a bottom layer of red jelly and is then layered with Tennis biscuits (another South African favorite), caramel dulce de leche, sweet whipped cream, and of course crushed peppermint crisp. 

Lemon Meringue Tarts 

I know you've probably tried lemon meringue pie before but these Mini Lemon Meringue Tarts use a lemon filling made with condensed milk and they are just too good not to test out. 

In most cases, lemon meringue tarts are made with a lemon curd made from lemon juice, eggs, and sugar. But this version is so much easier to get right, and the addition of the condensed milk gives this tart a rich custard-like center. 

The sweet pastry crust of this recipe is something special, and I have a feeling you'll be keeping this recipe for all of your tarts going forward! It is made from eggs, vanilla extract, caster sugar, unsalted butter, and flour.

Rolling pastry can be a daunting task, but if things get tough - just pop the pastry back into the fridge. Working with chilled pastry is much easier!

The lemon center is made with condensed milk, lemon juice, lemon zest, and egg yolks. The filling is then added to mini pastry shells that have been blind-baked, and then the tarts are baked again. When blind baking the tart shells be sure not to overbake them as they will brown again during the second bake. 

The meringue topping of these tarts is a Swiss meringue that's been lightly torched using a kitchen blow torch. I prefer this method over just whipping egg whites and sugar together and browning this in the oven because it has a less eggy flavor!

Cinnamon Pancakes 

Ok, I know most people would call these guys crepes but in SA, these are pancakes or pannekoek! These Cinnamon Pancakes are dusted with cinnamon sugar and drizzled with fresh lemon juice. 

This is an easy recipe to make for breakfast or when you are in need of a sweet afternoon treat. I don't think I've had a holiday without these cinnamon pancakes being made every few days. 

Roll these pancakes up, serve them in a mound, and watch them disappear!

Peppermint Crisp Tart 

This Peppermint Crisp Tart is the perfect recipe to add to your list of go-to cold desserts. It's kind of like an ice cream cake but with all the flavors of a peppermint crisp tart. 

This tart is made from a buttery biscuit shell made from crushed Tennis biscuits. The filling is made from whipped cream, dulce de leche caramel, and crushed peppermint crisp chocolate bars.  I chose to top the tart with extra fresh cream and bananas. 

Keep this dessert frozen until serving, and slice it into generous chunks. 

Milktart Malva Pudding

This Milktart Malva Pudding recipe brings together two classic South African desserts, malva and melktert. This recipe is for a layer of moist cream-soaked malva topped with a set layer of milktart custard dusted generously with cinnamon.

These recipes use basic ingredients, but depending on where you live, it may be difficult to find the exact ingredients listed. But the good news is that each of the blog posts gives alternative options. And if you are still struggling, email me and I can try suggesting some alternatives!

This is my round-up of iconic South African desserts that I think you should be ticking off one at a time for any special occasion! Because each of them deserves a go the next time you're looking to serve up something sweet. 

I hope you love this list of South Africa's most popular desserts as much as I do! Don't forget to leave a comment and a star review below. I'd love to know which of these was your favorite sweet treat

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Happy Baking 

With Love, 

Kitty