East meets West in this famous Dutch milk tart, which is usually baked in a deep enamel dish, though a quiche tin may be used. In summer, pastry dough was made late at night, wrapped in a damp muslin cloth and hung in a draft to keep cool. For the lightest crust, the tart was baked before sunrise. The custard was flavoured with dried naartjie (tangerine) peel, blanched almonds and peach kernels, and coconut milk or sweet wine were sometimes added. Some modern cooks add a dash of almond essence.
· The frozen puff pastry available in supermarkets is perfect for this dish. Or, for a recipe for homemade flaky pastry, click here
·For a richer vanilla flavor, add a split vanilla bean, with the seeds, to the milk along with the cinnamon stick, and omit the vanilla extract.
