When in South Africa, do as the South Africans do and enjoy some lekker (nice) treats after a decadent meal. In fact, you may even be surprised at how familiar some of these desserts are. If your curiosity is piqued, read on to discover 7 of the top desserts:
- Jan Elis Pudding / Malva Pudding
Jan Elis is a rugby legend from the ‘60s and ‘70s, and was known for being the most capped Springbok player of all time (38) during his hey-day. He had this delightful dessert named after him, due to persistent rumours stating it was his favourite pudding.
It’s pretty much a malva pudding, which is made from flour, eggs, sugar, milk, apricot jam, baking powder, butter, orange zest, and syrup. The only difference between Jan Elis Pudding and Malva Pudding is that Malva includes a small dose of vinegar, while Jan Ellis does not. Serve with custard, cream, or ice-cream.
- Koeksisters
These crispy, juicy, twisted doughnuts are beloved around the country, and after your first bite of one, you’ll understand why. They’re not the most attractive dessert around, given their orange/brown colouring, but the heavenly taste, and relative ease with which they can be made has given them a place in the South African dessert hall of fame.
They’re made from dough, which is twisted into plaits and baked. They’re then allowed to cool before being soaked in a container with golden syrup / drizzled with golden syrup.
- Melktert
Melktert is the Afrikaans name for milk tart, and despite it’s less-than overawing name, it’s a wonderful accompaniment to light meals, with its rich, smooth flavours.
It’s made by creating a pastry crust, and then filling the empty shell with a custard-like combination of eggs, milk, flour, and sugar. It’s then baked in the oven until set, and finally the top is sprinkled with cinnamon.
- Transkei Mud Pie / Peppermint crisp tart
Transkei Mud Pie, also known as Peppermint crisp tart, is a wonderful way to end a meal, and its name comes from the similarity its bears to the mud found in the Transkei (now known as Umtata, Eastern Cape). But don’t let that put you off it!
Its rich, creamy flavour is beautifully offset by refreshing mint bursts, and it’s an incredibly easy fridge tart to make. Ingredients for it are a whole can of (boiled) Condensed Milk (or just buy a can of Caramel Treat), a cup of thick, whipped cream, a packet of tennis biscuits to form the base, and a large slab of Peppermint Crisp which is grated in, and also used to garnish the top.
- Cape Brandy Pudding / Tipsy Tart
This classic date pudding includes generous lashes of brandy, a South African drinking staple, and is a delicious after-dinner treat. This tasty dessert should be consumed in moderation – it’s hasn’t been nicknamed tipsy tart for nothing.
Ingredients for it include flour, baking powder, pecan nuts, dates, sugar, eggs, and butter, and the syrup is made with brandy, cinnamon, vanilla essence, and sugar. It’s often served with custard, whipped cream, or ice-cream.
- Coconut Ice
This half pink, half white, melt-in-your-mouth coconut square is a firm favourite from most South African childhoods, and you’ll be hard-pressed to limit yourself to just one square.
Made from desiccated coconut, icing sugar, cream of tartar, pink food colouring, and Condensed Milk, it only takes half an hour to make. You’ll find them in tuck shops, food stands, and most mainstream shops, year-round.
- Lemon Meringue Pie
This delicious citrus offering, with soft spikes of meringue covering it, is technically not a South African creation, but it has found its way into the hearts of locals and is almost always found in the baking aisle of all chain stores – from Pick ‘n Pay to Checkers.
Characterised by an exterior made of pastry or crushed Tennis biscuits, a rich lemon curd filling, and finally, a topping of meringue which we tend to spike up, it’s a refreshing way to cleanse your palate after a meaty meal. Ingredients for lemon curd are egg yolks, lemon, sugar, and starch, with egg whites and sugar used for the meringue topping.
Let us know what your favourite South African desserts are?
Main image courtesy of avlxyz (Flickr)
