A virtual visit to South Africa calls for more South African snacks. Because we can’t possibly head on safari or visit all out favourite haunts without bringing our tastebuds along for the ride. And with a 2pm AEST start for today’s sofa safari, coinciding with afternoon tea, we thought it was time to whip up a big batch of Hertzoggies, the kids’ new favourite sweet treat.
These old-school tartlets date back to the 1920’s when supporters of the then South African Prime Minister and Boer War General J. B. M. Hertzog, better known as Barry to his mates, invented the Hertzoggie cookie (Hertzogkoekie in Afrikaans), which is actually more of a tartlet, but that’s just semantics.
We had our first taste of South African Hertzoggies completely by accident in a café near the colourful Bo Kaap district in Cape Town, where we were picking up a few treats for a road trip and spotted the inviting delights. On first bite, the regret that we didn’t buy more was real.
With their fluffy pastry bases, pop of apricot jam and the chewy crunch of coconutty meringue, the Hertzoggies recipe to follow is as much about texture as taste.
Usually devoured with a cup of tea or served up as a dessert during Eid in the Cape-Malay community, Hertzoggie cookies are still popular across South Africa today. Because they’re freaking amazing.
Want to try them? Here’s our South African Hertzoggies recipe! Easy to make. Even easier to eat!
Ingredients
- *For the pastry:*
- 2 cups of self-raising flour
- 1 teaspoon of baking powder
- 150gm castor sugar
- A pinch of salt
- pinch of nutmeg
- ½ cup of cubed butter
- 3 egg yolks
- 1 tablespoon cold water
- *For the filling:*
- 3 large egg whites
- 1 cup of castor sugar
- ½ tsp of vanilla essence
- 2 cups of desiccated coconut
- ½ cup apricot jam
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 180 °C.
- Grease a mini muffin baking tray.
- Sift the flour, baking powder, nutmeg and salt into a large mixing bowl
- Add the castor sugar and cubed butter, massaging the butter in to the flour mix until it forms fine crumbs.
- Add eggs and mix, adding a touch of water if needed, to bring the dough together.
- Knead the dough on a clean floured surface until smooth, then roll in a ball and cover in a bowl to rest for about 20 minutes.
- In a separate bowl, whisk the egg whites to soft peak stage, then incorporating the vanilla essence and sugar in stages until it reaches glossy firm peaks.
- Carefully fold in the coconut and set aside.
- Press pastry mix directly into each of the muffin trays so that each tray is filled with a 5mm thick base
- Add two teaspoons of jam onto the pastry, then top each with the meringue mixture.
- Pop the tarts into the oven and bake for 25 minutes until the tops are crisp and golden.
- Allow to cool slightly, then carefully lift them out the tray and onto a cooling rack.
An award-winning travel writer and photographer, Aleney de Winter was fresh from school when she first set off to explore the far reaches of Australia with a two-man tent and a beaten-up Kingswood for company. Three decades, and two kids later, and she's still on the go, with her itchy-footed offspring in tow. 
Beatriz
April 6, 2021 at 3:39 am (2 years ago)Hello!
I would like to know how many hertzhoggies this recipe yields.
Thank you!
Keep up the good work 🙂
Aleney de Winter
August 2, 2021 at 8:56 am (2 years ago)We usually get 12-15, depending on the pan.
Carol
July 6, 2021 at 3:54 pm (2 years ago)So yummy. I love this recipe.
Aleney de Winter
July 6, 2021 at 9:12 pm (2 years ago)Thanks. It’s one of our faves
Charmaine
March 19, 2022 at 7:33 am (1 year ago)Is 150gm sugar in the dough recipe correct? That is almost a cup of sugar to 2 cups of flour, it seems too much or is it right? I want to try this recipe but am too afraid that it will ve overly sweet. I looked at other similar recipes and most have 1 pound of flour to 25ml sugar?
Aleney de Winter
March 19, 2022 at 10:57 am (1 year ago)Yes, it is correct. They are sweet (but delicious).
MacKenzie
August 2, 2021 at 4:52 am (2 years ago)Very tasty! I’ve been venturing through different cultures and loved making this recipe! I also made a raspberry compote that I filled a couple with, but the apricot and coconut combination are really good.
Aleney de Winter
August 2, 2021 at 8:55 am (2 years ago)THey’re delish, right. We’ve tried with raspberry as well but the coconut/apricot combo is a winner.
Sue-Ann Zerf
August 27, 2021 at 6:15 pm (2 years ago)Hi there… Can I make the dough in advance?
Aleney de Winter
September 6, 2021 at 2:25 pm (2 years ago)I suspect it would be ok, but I’ve always made mine on the day so not sure how it would go, sorry?
Mariana
November 28, 2021 at 1:20 am (2 years ago)My kids love it with caramel too. I just use storebought Caramel Treat in SA.
Aleney de Winter
March 19, 2022 at 10:57 am (1 year ago)YUm. I might try that.
Rix Sugarman
December 7, 2021 at 4:01 am (2 years ago)I always make my dough the previous day.
Aleney de Winter
December 29, 2021 at 2:35 pm (2 years ago)Great idea
Cornél Botha
January 3, 2022 at 3:17 am (2 years ago)Hi Sue-Ann, my grandmother always used to make the dough and let it overnight in the fridge. Nothing will happen to it. That was with the recipe she used, but I think it could be a standard recipe. I grew up with these, and am only going to try baking them myself for the first time at the age of 36. So ashamed 😉
Aleney de Winter
March 19, 2022 at 10:58 am (1 year ago)Thanks for letting us know.
MJ
July 28, 2022 at 11:20 pm (1 year ago)Wonderful recipe! Thank you! I am baking this for my daughters wedding and am wondering how to store it as I will have to bake two days ahead of the day?
Aleney de Winter
July 31, 2022 at 11:17 am (1 year ago)I think they will be OK if stored in airtight containers. Ours never last that long because the kids eat them all
Ronnie Hewitt
October 24, 2022 at 7:27 pm (10 months ago)Please advise why a pinch of nhutmeg into pastry – just wondering. Also could I use the shallower patty pans for these delicious mini tarts. thank you for your response.
Aleney de Winter
October 24, 2022 at 8:10 pm (10 months ago)I pop it in purely for the flavour. You could definitely use a shallower base, though a deeper one offers more space for jam. You may need to adjust the timing a little so they don’t overcoook.
Rina
November 13, 2022 at 10:46 pm (10 months ago)Old traditional family favourite! I got 24 out of my dough mixture my family agreed on the sweetness so because they rather sweet it lasts longer