When it comes to international desserts, the Cremora tart from South Africa stands out for its simplicity. Unlike other desserts that require a lengthy list of ingredients, the Cremora tart calls for just a few essentials: powdered coffee creamer, condensed milk, and lemon juice for the filling, and Tennis brand biscuits for the crust, which I first tried in my Emmy Eats South Africa video. Remarkably, these few ingredients transform into a cheesecake-like dessert with minimal effort.
In the 1980s, an ad featuring Cremora, a powdered coffee creamer, aired in South Africa. The idea for this no-bake cheesecake followed, and now the dessert is commonly served at social gatherings or as a standard, everyday sweet treat. Nestle Cremora is hard to find in the United States, so I’m using Nestle Coffee-mate instead (they are essentially the same product). As for the Tennis biscuits, they’re difficult if not impossible to find locally, so I bought some online. However, graham crackers should also work well.
Cremora Tart
Equipment
- 1 Ziploc storage bag to crush biscuits, or use rolling pin
- 1 Large mixing bowl
- 1 round push-pan
Ingredients
Crust
- 1 pkg biscuits Tennis brand, or similar
- 4 tbsp butter, melted 55 g
Tart filling
- 2 cups non-dairy coffee creamer powdered, 250g
- ½ cup water 125mL
- 1 can condensed milk
- ½ cup lemon juice preferably fresh, 125mL
Instructions
- Add the entire package of biscuits to a zipper bag, close it, and crush it with a rolling pin. Alternatively, you can pulse them in a food processor. If you prefer not to make a crumb crust, lay whole Tennis biscuits in an even layer on the bottom of a square pan. For this option, you will not need the entire package.
- Transfer the crumbs to a bowl, pour the melted butter over the crumbs, and stir until well combined.
- Pour your crust mixture into a pan. Since I wanted a taller tart, I used a push-up pan with a small diameter.
- Use a measuring cup or glass to press the crust mixture into the bottom of your pan.
- Place the crust in the refrigerator to chill while you make the filling.
- In a large bowl, add the Cremora or another non-dairy creamer and cold water. Whisk to work out as many lumps as possible. It will look quite dry at first. Alternatively, you can use an electric mixer.
- Follow with the condensed milk, then slowly pour in the lemon juice as you stir. Continue to stir until you see the texture change. It should thicken into a batter with a smooth, creamy consistency.
- Pour the filling over the crust and smooth out the top.
- Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, but overnight is best. (You want to give the filling maximum time to set up.)
- Remove from the pan. If you are using a push pan, push the bottom upward to remove the tart.
- Slice and serve.
Notes
Nutrition
How Does it Taste?
The Cremora tart filling is eerily similar to cheesecake in both taste and texture. Combining the creamer, condensed milk, and lemon creates a flavor comparable to cream cheese with a nice balance of sweet, rich, and tangy. The filling itself is very smooth texturally and surprisingly rich despite the use of non-dairy creamer.
As for the crust, it has that toasty, buttery flavor accompanied by a hint of coconut, which sets it apart from your regular graham cracker crust. Overall, the fridge tart has a rich and satisfying flavor with just enough sweetness to make it a delightful dessert that doesn’t come across as heavy or overly sweet.
A great tart to make in summer as it requires no baking. Not only does it come together fast, but you stick it in the fridge to set up while you’re entertaining or running around doing other things.