here are certain flavors that just hits home, more specifically back to days with grandma. If it’s perhaps a memory that you cannot relate to then that’s about to change. We all have recipes that is passed from one sibling to another and this is one of those. It’s ouma Riana’s recipes she got from her mom. Now she’s not my ouma but she’s a wonderful lady that makes the most delicious “Boerekos” and I’m happy to have met her a eat some of her delicious creations – te lekker! I count myself very lucky.

I tasted it again recently at a get-together, and in that first bite I couldn’t help but think how I enjoyed this dessert, so many wonderful memories. back to my childhood. This was the very first appeltert I ever ate, baked by my granny, my ouma Connie, in the old South African way. She is sadly not with us any longer but ouma Riana’s presence is comforting.

What makes this appeltert so special is its simplicity – and its generosity. The base is not a pastry, but a soft, cake-like batter. It’s comforting and familiar, almost like a sponge, into which canned apples are gently folded and allowed to sink naturally as the cake bakes. There is no fussing, no decorative precision. The apples find their place on their own, just as they always have.

Once baked, the magic truly begins. While the cake is still warm, it is soaked in a rich caramel milk sauce that seeps into every crumb. This transforms the appeltert into something indulgent and deeply satisfying – moist, comforting, and full of flavor. The sauce doesn’t sit on top; it becomes part of the cake, enriching it from the inside out.

This is not a dessert that tries to impress with looks. It impresses with feeling. It’s the kind of appeltert that is best served slightly warm, with a generous dollop of whipped cream melting softly into the surface. One serving is never enough – and everyone knows it. You take a second slice not because you’re greedy, but because the first one simply disappears.

And here’s the best part: Ouma se Appeltert is even better the next day. As it rests, the flavors deepen, the sauce settles, and the cake becomes even more luscious. It’s one of those rare desserts that rewards patience – if you can resist it for that long.

This appeltert carries more than taste. It carries tradition, memory, and the quiet wisdom of a generation that baked without measuring cups lined up on the counter or recipes saved on a phone. It’s food that was made to be shared, to comfort, and to linger.

If you love appeltert in any form, this old-school South African version deserves a place in your favourites. Ouma se Appeltert isn’t just a dessert – it’s a story baked into a cake, soaked in caramel, and served warm with love.

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Ouma se Appeltert | Apple Tart

This is Ouma Riana's mothers recipe and it's bound to hit your tastebuds with all the nostalgia - elke blerrie happie!

5 from 1 vote

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Course: Dessert

Cuisine: Cape Dutch, South African

Keyword: appel tart, appeltert, south african recipes

Prep Time: 15

Cook Time: 30

Total Time: 1

Servings: servings

Author: The Big Tasty Bite

Ingredients

Appeltert | Apple Tart

60ml/1/4 cup milk
30g/2 tbsp butter
2 medium eggs
150g/3/4 cup white sugar
145g/1 cup self raising flour see note 1
pinch of salt
410 g/ 1 can apple slices unsweetened and drained

Soaking Liquid

⅓ cup white sugar see note 2
⅔ cup pouring cream and extra for serving
1 tsp caramel essence

Instructions

Note: the above recipe yields one large apple tart but ouma Riana usually separates the batter between 2 x 15cm radius dishes. I baked it in a larger dish, sized 23 cm radius, as seen in the recipe video. The batter rises quite a bit so keep that in mind.
Preheat the oven to 180℃/356℉. Line the baking dish(es) with cook and spray (optional).
In a small jug, add the milk and butter together. Pop it in the microwave for 30seconds or until the butter has melted. Set aside to cool slightly.
In a medium bowl, using an electric whisk, beat the eggs and sugar together until creamed and pale in colour, about 2 minutes. Note: This will naturally take longer in you're whisking by hand.
Add the cooled butter and milk mixture to the creamed eggs and whisk for another 10seconds.
Add the self-raising flour and pinch of salt. Whisk until fully combined and no flour pockets remain. Note: do not over mix.
Pour the batter into one large baking dish or evenly divide between two baking dishes. Drain the apple slices of any excess liquid and place the slices on top of the batter. Note: I layer the apple slices on top of each other when baking in one large dish (see recipe video). This'll ensure that the top layer of apple slices stay exposed when baking and not be fully submerged by the sponge, once baked.
Bake for 30-35 minutes until she's a deep golden brown. Meanwhile, prepare the soaking liquid 5 minutes before the tart has done baking. Add sugar, cream and caramel essence together and pop in the microwave for 30secs - 1minute or until the sugar has dissolved. Note: ouma Riana's recipe calls for more sugar and cream but I found this to personally be just a tad too much sugar and liquid overall - so feel free to follow her exact recipe or the adjusted amount. You'll find her handwritten recipe on the blog post.
Pour the warm liquid over the warm tart and allow the liquid to be fully absorbed. Serve with whipped cream or custard, geniet dit!

Video

Notes

Self-raising flour: substitute with 1 cup cake flour/all purpose flour and 1 tbsp baking powder (3 tsps).
Sugar and Cream amounts: I used less sugar and cream as Ouma Riana's recipe was just a tad too sweet and wet for my liking so you can decide whether you'd like to adjust the amounts or go with the original recipe. You'll find the original handwritten recipe uploaded to the recipe blog.
Storage: Refrigerate in in airtight container or covered with glad wrap for up to 3 days. Freezer: would not recommend.