7 down 73 to GO! General Hertzog and his ‘Hertzoggies’

“Barry Hertzog was a Boer general during the second Anglo-Boer War who became Prime Minister of the Union of South Africa from 1924 to 1939. He encouraged the development of Afrikaner culture in order to protect the Afrikaner from British influence.”

During the general election of 1924, supporters J.B.M Hertzog and the National Party showed their side and support by driving only Ford motor cars and baking Hertzoggies. The opposing party of Jun Smuts drove Chevrolets motor cars and baked Smutsies . Both these two desserts are very similar to one another and were named after the leader of the running party. Supporters of Jan Smuts would bake Smutsies and the supporters of J.B.M Hertzog took the Smutsies idea and made it ‘better’ by topping it off not with a light cake mix but with a coconut meringue filling. The dessert was named after J.B.M Hertzog. He himself used to love Hertzoggies.  

Hertzoggies are little tarts that consist out of a light nutmeg pastry base filled with delectable homemade apricot jam and topped off with a coconut meringue filling.  Hertzoggies are the perfect tea time treat but can also serve as a dessert after a light lunch or dinner.

Hertzoggies

DOUGH

• 60ml (¼ cup) sugar
• 30ml (2 tbs) butter
• 3 egg yolks
• 15ml (1 tbs) cold water
• 500ml (2 cups) self-rising flour   
• 1,25ml (¼ tsp) salt
• 1,25ml (¼ tsp) freshly grated nutmeg

Step 1 – Beat the sugar and butter together and stir in the whisked egg yolks and cold water.

Step 2 – Sift the self-rising flour, salt and nutmeg together.

Step 3 – Add the dry ingredients a little bit at a time to the sugar, butter and egg mixture.

Step 4 – Mix all the ingredients together to make a little dough ball.

Step 5 – Warp the dough with Clingfilm and let it cool in the refrigerator for 1 hour.

Step 6 – Roll the dough out until it is about 5mm thick.  

Step 7 – Cut circular shapes from the dough with a tea cup or a cookie cutter.

Step 8 – Line your pan with the cut out dough.

FILLING

• 60ml (4 tbs) smooth apricot jam
• 3 egg whites
• 250ml (1 cup) sugar
• 500ml (2 cups) dried coconut

Step 9 – Add one teaspoon at a time of the apricot jam to each of the little dough cups.

Step 10 – Whisk the egg whites and sugar until stiff peaks form. Fold in the coconut.

Step 11 – Add a tablespoon or more of the egg white and coconut mixture on top of the dough and jam cups.

Step 12 – Bake in a preheated oven at 180 degrees Celsius for 20 minutes until golden brown on top.

Step 13 – After 20 minutes take the Hertzoggie tarts out of the oven and let it rest and cool on an oven rack.