South African Desserts

No South African meal is served without a number of side dishes. These dishes are usually seasonal and are rich in both Eastern spices and Western flavours.

Custard Melkkos recipe

Introduction

Sago pudding or better known as Melkos is a traditional Afrikaans dessert. Serve it with custard.

Ingredients

200g sago (1 c)
2.5 litres milk (10 c)
2 eggs
60 ml water (¼ c)
30 g custard powder (4 T)
2 ml salt (½ t)
15 ml butter/margarine (1 T)
cinnamon sugar

Instructions on how to make it

Soak the sago in the milk for about an hour. Gradually bring the mixture to the boil over moderate heat, using a heavy based saucepan. Stir it quite often in order to prevent burning and simmer until the sago is soft and transparent.
Separate the eggs. Beat together the egg yolks, water, custard powder and salt. Add the custard mixture to the milk mixture and simmer until thick, stirring often. Add the butter/margarine.

Beat the egg whites until stiff but not dry. Stir a little of the stiffly beaten egg white into the hot melkos until mixed. Then lightly fold the remaining egg white into the mixture, using a metal spoon.

Pour the custard melkkos into a heat proof serving dish, sprinkle lavishly with cinnamon sugar and serve immediately.

Makes 2,5 litres (10 cups) of melkkos

Koeksisters recipe

Introduction

The sweet taste of these plaited dough cakes makes them a great favourite in South Africa. The secret of their success is in preparing the syrup a day ahead and chilling it before dipping the koeksisters.

Ingredients

For the syrup:
1kg sugar
500ml (2 cups) water
2 pieces fresh green ginger (each 5cm), peeled and crushed
2ml (½ teaspoon) cream of tartar
Pinch of salt
Grated rind and juice of ½ lemon

For the dough:
500g flour
2ml (½ teaspoon) salt
30ml (2 tablespoons) baking powder
55g butter, grated
1 egg
250-375ml (1-1½ cups) milk or water

Instructions on how to make it

To make the syrup, put all the ingredients in a saucepan. Heat (stirring) until the sugar has completely dissolved. Cover the mixture and boil for 1 minute. Remove the saucepan lid and boil the syrup for a further 5 minutes, but do not stir it. Remove the syrup from the stove and allow it to cool for at least 2 hours in a refrigerator, or overnight.

To make the dough, sieve together the dry ingredients and rub in the grated butter with your fingertips, or cut it in with a pastry cutter. Beat the egg, add 250ml (1 cup) of the milk or water and mix lightly with the dry ingredients to a soft dough. Add more milk or water if the dough is too stiff. Knead well until small bubbles form under the surface of the dough. Cover with a damp cloth and allow to stand for 30 minutes –1 hour.

Roll out the dough to a thickness of 1 cm, then form koeksisters in either of the following ways:
Cut strips 1 cm wide and twist 2 strips together, or plait 3 strips together, cutting the twisted or plaited lengths at 8cm intervals and pinching the ends together.

Alternatively, cut the dough into 8cm x 4cm pieces. Cut 2 vertical slits in each piece, reaching to 1cm from the end. Plait the 3 strips that have been formed and pinch together the loose ends.

Heat 7-8cm deep oil to 180-190°C – a cube of bread should turn golden-brown in a minute. Fry the koeksisters for 1-2 minutes, or until golden-brown, then turn them over with a fork and fry until golden-brown on the other side.

Remove the koeksisters with a lifter or slotted spoon, drain them for a moment on paper towel and then plunge them into the cold syrup for 1-2 minutes. Stand the container of syrup in a bowel of ice so that the syrup will stay cold. Remove the koeksisters from the syrup with a lifter or slotted spoon, allowing the excess syrup to flow back into the basin, then drain them slightly on a wire rack.

Quick Melktert (Microwave) recipe

Introduction

This recipe for Melktert (Milk Tart) is quick and easy as it uses the microwave to cook it rather than the traditional way in the oven.

Ingredients

1 pack tennis biscuits (Plain butter biscuits will also do)
1 tin condense milk
3 cups warm water
15ml margarine
100ml maizena (corn flour)
75ml cold water
1ts vanilla essence
2 medium eggs

Instructions on how to make it

Arrange the tennis biscuits in a dish, making a base for the mixture. Mix the condense milk, margarine, warm water and microwave for 3 minutes.

Mix maizena, cold water, vanilla essence, eggs and salt separately. Combine the two mixtures. Microwave for 5 minutes on high. Slowly pour mixture over the tennis biscuits.

Crush one or two tennis biscuits with a rolling pin and then sprinkle cinnamon and crumbs over the mixture.

Let the mixture set in the fridge and enjoy!

Traditional Melktert recipe

Introduction

This is the traditional Dutch way and it worth making it the "old fashioned" way if you have the time.

Ingredients

Pastry
62.5ml margarine (1/4 cup)
62.5mll sugar (1/4/ cup)
250ml Self raising Flour (1 cup)
Pinch salt
25ml iced water (2 T)

Filling
500ml milk (2 cups)
1 stick cinnamon
25ml butter (2 T)
50ml sugar (4T)
2 Eggs
50 ml Cake Flour (4T)

Instructions on how to make it

Pastry:
1. Cream the margarine and the sugar together.
2. Work in the flour and salt.
3. Add the water and work to a soft dough.
4. Wrap up and chill until required.

Filling:
1. Scald the milk in a double boiler with the cinnamon stick.
2. Combine the sugar and flour and stir in the hot milk slowly.
3. Return to the heat and cook for 15 minutes with the lid of.
4. Remove from heat and stir in the butter.
5. When cool, add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
6. Line a 22cm tart plate with the pastry and pour the filling mixture in.
7. Bake at 200 deg C (400 deg F) for 20 minutes.
8. Before serving sprinkle the top with powdered cinnamon and castor sugar.