If you’re South African, Peppermint Crisp Tart needs no introduction. If you’re not, let me be the one to introduce you. This iconic dessert makes a constant appearance at birthdays, braai’s, family gatherings and it’s synonymous with Christmas Celebrations in South Africa. And with good reason, it is absolutely delicious.

South African Peppermint Crisp Tart in white dish.

Peppermint crisp tart (or “pepperminttert” as it’s affectionately known in Afrikaans) is one of South Africa’s most iconic desserts, right up there with milk tart and malva pudding. It traces back to the 1970s when the recipe first appeared on the packaging of the Peppermint Crisp chocolate bar, a South African chocolate invented in the 1960s that’s filled with thin, crackling cylinders of crystallized mint sugar coated in milk chocolate.

The recipe spread through kitchens across the country and never left. No baking, no fuss, just layers of Tennis biscuits (a coconut-flavored cookie that’s a South African pantry staple), caramel treat whipped with cream and grated or chopped Peppermint Crisp on top.

Ingredients and Substitutions

Peppermint Crisp. If you can’t find this iconic chocolate bar (it’s a Nestle product), any mint-flavored chocolate will work in a pinch.
Caramel Treat. A caramelized condensed milk in a can. Dulce de leche is the closest and makes a good substitute. You can also caramelize your own condensed milk (in fact many South African cooks choose to do this as they say the end result is superior to the store-bought version).
Tennis Biscuits. These thin, coconut cookies add flavor and structure to the finished dessert. Try to find thin, coconut-flavored cookies if you can. Otherwise Graham Crackers work too.
Cream. You need heavy or whipping cream for the mousse.

Caramel mousse in peppermint crisp tart.

Peppermint Crisp Tart topped with chopped peppermint crisp chocolate.

How To Make Peppermint Crisp Tart

Make The Mousse: Add the caramel treat to a bowl and whisk until smooth. In a larger bowl, whip the cream until soft peaks form then add the caramel and whip until the mixture is thick, creamy and a light caramel color.
Add the Peppermint Crisp: Chop or grate the chocolate then add to the caramel mousse. Fold in, taking care not to knock the air out of the mousse.
Assemble: Place a layer of Tennis biscuits into the bottom of a baking dish (the one I used was 30x20cm/12x8in but a smaller dish would just deliver a dessert with more layers). Add half of the caramel mousse then repeat. I like to swirl in extra caramel so that every bite has little dollops of pure caramel but this is optional.
Chill: Cover the dish with plastic wrap (make sure it’s not touching the surface of the dessert) and place in the fridge for at least 6 hours, ideally overnight.
Serve: Once set, top the tart with extra chopped chocolate (optional) and serve.

Can I Make This Ahead?

Yes, you have to. Peppermint Crisp Tart needs to set in the refrigerator for at least 6 hours and can be made up to 2 days in advance. Any leftovers can be kept in an airtight container for up to 3 days. You could also freeze any leftovers and it turns into a delicious frozen dessert (thawing it will likely cause the cream-mixture to split).