When I think about all the countries in this world, I realize that I have made foods from very few. Take South African cuisine, for example. I’ve seen it in blog posts, there is even a restaurant in town, but it is one food that I have yet to explore.
Lucky for me, we have a friend here who is from South Africa. She hooked me up with a cookbook so I could explore a few options. It’s taken me months to get down to business and get baking, but I think you may find these worth the wait.
Hertzoggies are a pastry also sometimes referred to as coconut tarts. Despite their association with coconut, I have to say what gets my attention, after now having taken several bites, is the apricot filling. 
These cute pastries are surprisingly easy to make. I adapted the recipe to include mascavo and Demerara sugars. I also had only unbleached, all-purpose flour on hand and used that instead of the recommended cake flour. Not wanting so much sugar and coconut in the meringue I reduced that a bit too.
The filling is super simple, just an apricot jam. According to the original recipe I adapted, the key to a good Hertzoggie is in the jam. Young apricot jam is ideal because it provides a bit of tartness. I wasn’t able to be picky with my jam, though. I went for my favorite variety (when it’s not homemade), Smucker’s Simply Fruit. I like it because there is no added sugar or artificial sweeteners.
My Hertzoggies browned up a bit more than photos I’ve seen, but I expect that is because of the sugars I used. I also struggle a bit with meringues. Nonetheless, these little treats are delicious. Not only in their original form, but the whole idea has me visualizing the potential for other flavors!
South African Hertzoggies
Modified from Hertzoggies, Cook with 7 de Laan
Makes: 16 to 18
Ingredients
Dough
2 cups unbleached, all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
Pinch of salt
½ cup butter
5 tsp mascavo sugar
3 egg yolks
1-2 tbsp milk
2 tsp baking powder
Pinch of salt
½ cup butter
5 tsp mascavo sugar
3 egg yolks
1-2 tbsp milk
Filling and Topping
½ cup apricot jam
3 egg whites
¾ cup Demerara sugar
½ cup unsweetened, shredded coconut
3 egg whites
¾ cup Demerara sugar
½ cup unsweetened, shredded coconut
Prep
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and grease a muffin tin.
Sift the flour, baking powder and salt together. Cut in the cold butter. Blend with a pastry blender until the butter is in pea-size pieces. Stir in the sugar and then the egg yolks. Add the milk a little at a time until the dough comes together and is firm, but not dry.
On a floured surface roll out the dough to about a ¼ inch thickness. Using a 7 cm cookie or biscuit cutter, cut out the individual pie crusts. Gently press them into the muffin tins.
Spoon a heaping teaspoon of jam into each of the crusts. Beat the egg whites until stiff. Gently fold in the Demerara and coconut. Using a heaping tablespoon, top each crust with the egg whites to cover the jam.
Bake for 20-25 min or until the Hertzoggies are nicely browned and the egg whites are firm. Remove from the oven. Using a knife, gently lift the small pies out of the muffin tin and set on a wire rack to cool. Makes 16-18.
I have never heard of hertzoggies but they look delicious with the apricot filling.
I am quite curious about cooking with muscavo sugar though. Is this the same as muscovado sugar that Ainsley Harriet keep using in his TV shows? If it is cane sugar which are plentiful in the tropic, I’m going to put a spoonful in my mouth just to try.
Oh goodness me, ive never had the pleasure of tasting these before but they look like they would be just utterly perfect, the flavour combo is divinnneee! Stunning and a recipe im really hoping to try 🙂
Lori, what a nice little treat you have here…I love the sound of the apricot filling and the meringue with coconut. Beautifully done.
Hope you are having a fantastic week 🙂
I never had this before, it looks delicious!
I’ve cooked up some south African food before, but I’ve never even heard of these! Now that you’ve made me see the light, though…I know I need them in my life.
These sound so scrumptious, love the apricot jam filling! Thanks for teaching us about this unique sweet treat!
chop – All my research into the matter tells me that mascavo is the same as muscovado. Mascavo is the term in Portuguese. It the sugar I used in Brazil and thanks to traveling friends and coworkers, I still have an affordable supply of it. It’s a minimally refined cane sugar made from dehydrating the sugar cane juice. Not nearly as sweet as a white or brown sugar in the States and much more complex. It bakes the same way brown sugar does, at least for me. Just a little less moisture. I love it!
Procrastobaker – So glad you like them. Let me know how they turn out if you try them!
Juliana – It is a great combo of flavors!
Jun – Thanks! They were great.
Joanne – I hadn’t either until I got the cookbook. So glad I tried them out because they are tasty!
5 Star – I hope to increase my posts on international foods like this. The KY summer has been great, but my focus has been there a little more than I’d like.
I have never heard of these hertzoggies, but I’m so glad I have now. I’m all for anything coconut. I assume to make them authentic they are to be made with apricot jam, right? Bet they would be great with any number of jams.
How fun! I have not heard of hertzoggies before (love the name) but they look amazing. Lovely photos too. 😉
Marianne – Yes, the recipe calls for apricot jam. It just mentions that the best version are those made with young apricot jam if you are making it yourself. I guess the young fruit is more tart.
Wondered when the world would catch onto these… I’m from SA and I must say these, Romany Creams, Peppermint Crisp Tart, milk tart and koeksisters are iconic of South African sweet things… well there are lots more, we love sweet stuff but those are the must try sweet things