Milk Tart Cheesecake Dessert

Milk tart and cheesecake must be two of our family’s favorite desserts. So when we cannot choose between them, we simply combine them into this creamy, comforting Milk Tart Cheesecake. Layers of spiced custard and cream cheese filling meet the buttery crunch of Tennis biscuits (or graham crackers for my American friends). It’s a make-ahead dessert that is as nostalgic as it is indulgent.

Ingredients

• For the custard:
• 2 free-range egg yolks
• 2 Tbsp (16 g) cornflour / cornstarch
• 2 Tbsp (16 g) cake flour / all-purpose flour
• 50 g (¼ cup) sugar
• 2 cups (480 ml) milk
• 1 Tbsp (14 g) butter
• 1 tsp vanilla essence / extract
• ¼ tsp salt
• ½ tsp ground cinnamon, plus extra cinnamon-sugar to decorate

• For the base and layers:
• 1–2 packets Tennis biscuits (250–300 g) / or 2–2½ cups (225–280 g) graham crackers

• For the cream cheese mixture:
• 250 g (9 oz) cream cheese, softened
• 200 g (½ cup) sweetened condensed milk
• ½ cup (120 ml) fresh cream / heavy cream

Instructions

1. Make the custard:
2. In a bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, cornflour, flour, sugar, and a splash of the milk to form a smooth slurry.
3. Heat the remaining milk in a saucepan until steaming. Slowly pour the hot milk into the slurry, whisking continuously, then return the mixture to the saucepan.
4. Cook over medium heat, stirring, until thickened. Remove from heat and stir in the butter, vanilla, salt, and cinnamon.
5. Place a sheet of plastic wrap directly onto the surface of the custard to prevent a skin from forming, then chill until cool.
6. Prepare the cream cheese filling:
7. Beat the cream cheese until smooth. Add the condensed milk and cream, mixing until silky. Fold the cooled custard into the cream cheese mixture until fully combined.
8. Assemble the cheesecake:
9. In a 20–22 cm (8–9 inch) square or round dish, layer the Tennis biscuits (or graham crackers) to cover the base.
10. Pour over half the filling and smooth the top. Add another layer of biscuits, then the remaining filling. Smooth the top
11. Chill and serve:
12. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours, or preferably overnight, until set.
13. Dust generously with cinnamon-sugar before serving. (Alternatively- serve with fresh berries)

This cheesecake has become a family tradition—best enjoyed with a cup of coffee on the porch, where the laughter is easy, the stories are long, and the Kalahari skies stretch endlessly above. It’s a reminder that joy is often found in the simplest things, and that sharing food is one of the sweetest ways to share love (and our life stories).