A must try!

FOR THE FLAKY PASTRY:

160g butter

80g lard

225g plain flour

Pinch of salt

For the milk tart custard filling:

500ml milk

1 large cinnamon stick

2 eggs

80g white sugar

45ml cornflour

45ml flour

3ml vanilla paste

30ml butter

Cinnamon and sugar, for sprinkling

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METHOD:

To make the pastry, combine the butter and the lard together. Mix the flour with salt and rub in half of the butter and lard mixture.

Add enough cold water to bring the flour to a soft dough. Roll out the dough to make a rectangle 12.5cm x 25cm.

Dot one third of the mixture over two thirds of the rectangle. Fold the third without any fat on it, over the middle third of the pastry. Put the other third flap on top. Seal the edges with a rolling pin and turn the dough 90°C. Chill for 10 minutes.

Repeat with another third of the mixture, and then repeat one more time with the remaining butter and lard mixture. Chill for 10 minutes after each folding. Roll and fold one more time, without adding any mixture, and then chill for 30 minutes.

Pre-heat oven to 190°C.

Roll out flaky pastry to 5mm. Place in a greased tart mould of 26cm. Prick the base of the pastry with a fork to ensure that the bottom of the tart does not puff during the baking process. Blind bake the pastry base for 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, for the filling, heat the milk with the stick cinnamon to just below boiling point.

Lightly beat the eggs with the sugar. Add cornflour and flour. Pour the hot milk onto this, stirring rapidly.

Return the mixture to the heat and cook, stirring until the mixture becomes very thick. Remove from the heat and then add the vanilla paste and the butter. Stir well until the butter has melted.

Pour the mixture into the pre-baked tart crust and bake at 180°C for a further 15 minutes. Cool slightly and then sprinkle with mixture of castor sugar and cinnamon.

SERVES: Eight to 10. TIME: 90 minutes, plus chilling