Hertzoggies: South African Jam and Coconut Tartlets Recipe

Did you know?

The name Hertzoggie comes from J.B.M. Hertzog, a South African politician and Boer War general. Legend says he was popular with parts of the Cape Malay community, who baked these cookies to mark his promise of extending voting rights to women.

When those promises were not delivered, bakers began icing some tartlets in brown and pink to mock the broken pledge, calling them “twee gevreetjies,” an Afrikaans term meaning “hypocrite.”

Key ingredient notes and substitutions

Please refer to the recipe card below for the full ingredient list and quantities.

Most ingredients are pantry staples, but a few notes are helpful:

Butter

Room-temperature butter works best — soft enough to dent with a finger but not so soft it melts. This helps the pastry come together smoothly and produces a tender, slightly flaky base.

Eggs

The recipe uses three yolks for the pastry and three whites for the meringue, so nothing is wasted. When separating eggs, take care not to let any yolk into the whites to ensure the meringue whips properly.

Mixed spice

A small amount of mixed spice adds warmth to the pastry. If you prefer, substitute with cinnamon or a pinch of nutmeg.

Equipment needed

1. 2 x 12-hole muffin pans or mini tart pans (patty pans). This recipe makes 18 tartlets with a standard muffin pan; smaller tart pans will produce more individual tarts. Muffin tins create slightly larger tartlets, similar in size to shallow cupcakes.
2. 1 x 8cm cookie cutter. Use an 8cm cutter for standard muffin holes; for mini tart pans, choose a 5–6cm cutter.
3. 1 x stand mixer or electric hand mixer. An electric mixer is recommended for the meringue to reach a thick, glossy texture efficiently.

Step-by-step instructions

Preparing the pastry

1. Prepare your muffin or tartlet pans by spraying with non-stick spray or brushing lightly with butter or oil.

2. Sift together the all-purpose flour, caster sugar, baking powder, mixed spice and salt.

3. Add the dry mixture and cubed butter to a food processor, or rub the butter into the flour by hand until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs.

4. In a small bowl, whisk the egg yolks with the cold water, then add this to the breadcrumb mixture and pulse briefly until the dough begins to clump and form a ball.

5. Shape the pastry into a flat disk about 1.5cm thick, wrap in cling film and refrigerate for 20 minutes to firm up.

6. Roll the chilled pastry on a lightly floured surface or between baking paper to 3–5mm thickness. Cut circles with a cookie cutter sized to your pan, and carefully line each hole. Patch any tears with small pastry scraps.

7. Spoon 1–2 teaspoons of apricot jam into each pastry case, depending on how jammy you like them. Avoid overfilling to prevent spillover during baking.

Preparing the topping

8. Preheat the oven to 180C / 355F.

9. In a clean, grease-free bowl, combine the egg whites, vanilla extract and cream of tartar. Beat on medium-high until stiff peaks form, about 2 minutes.

10. Gradually add the sugar, about a tablespoon at a time, allowing it to dissolve before adding more. Continue until the meringue is glossy and holds firm peaks.

11. Fold the desiccated coconut into the meringue gently with a spatula until evenly combined.

12. Spoon or pipe the coconut meringue over the jam-filled pastry cases, then bake for 20–25 minutes until the pastry is cooked and the meringue is a very light golden brown.

13. Allow the tartlets to cool in the tin briefly, then transfer to a wire rack. If removal is difficult, let them cool a little longer and gently twist each tart in its hollow before lifting out.

Spoon or pipe?

You can pipe the topping with a large round nozzle or simply spoon it on with teaspoons. Spooned meringue gives a rustic look that browns attractively at the peaks and is quicker and easier to achieve.

Storage

Store Hertzoggies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to three days. Freezing is not recommended, as the meringue can weep and change texture when thawed.

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