Murta kuchen is a classic of southern Chilean baking, a shortcrust tart filled with pastry cream and fresh murtilla berries that reflects the cultural fusion brought by German immigration. It takes 20 minutes of prep and 30 minutes in the oven, plus chilling time before serving.
What sets it apart is the crisp base against the soft filling, and the wild perfume of the native berry balancing the sweetness of the cream, which is why it became a favorite for “la once”, the Chilean afternoon tea.
How to Make Murta Kuchen?
Murta kuchen uses the traditional dough of this German-origin tart, topped with a mixture of fresh murta and pastry cream, a seasonal preparation like no other.
Nutritional Information
Each serving of murta kuchen contains approximately 350 kcal, 45 g of carbohydrates, 15 g of fat, 5 g of protein, 2 g of fiber, 25 g of sugars, 50 mg of cholesterol, and 180 mg of sodium. These values are estimates and may vary depending on ingredients and portion sizes.
Homemade Chilean Murta Kuchen Recipe
Preparation: 20 minutes
Cooking: 30 minutes
Servings: 6 people
Ingredients
- 250 g (8.8 oz) of murta berries
- 200 g (7 oz) of wheat flour
- 100 g (3.5 oz) of butter
- 75 g (2.6 oz) of powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon of salt
- 1 large egg
- Baking powder
- Pastry cream
- Ground cinnamon
Instructions
- In a large bowl, mix the flour, the butter, the powdered sugar, the salt, 1 teaspoon of baking powder, and the egg, adding water little by little and mixing until you get a smooth, even dough. Let it rest for 20 minutes.
- Butter a 23-centimeter (9-inch) kuchen tin and spread the dough across the whole interior, a little higher at the edges so it holds the filling.
- Preheat the oven to 180°C (356°F) and bake the base for about 20 minutes. Set aside. In a medium bowl, add the pastry cream and the murta berries and fold gently, trying not to break the fruit.
- Fill the baked base with the cream and murta mixture, dust with a little cinnamon, and rest in the refrigerator until set. Serve the murta kuchen cold, as a sweet bite at “la once” or as dessert after lunch.
Additional Tips
Drain frozen murta well
If you cannot find fresh murta, frozen works: just thaw it and drain it thoroughly to avoid excess moisture in the filling, which would soften the baked base.
Add lemon zest to the cream
Folding a little fine lemon zest into the pastry cream lifts the flavor of the kuchen, adding a fresh contrast that pairs very well with the sweetness of the murta.
Blind-bake the base
Prick the dough with a fork and weigh it down with dried beans over parchment paper for the first 10 minutes, so the base stays flat and crisp under the cold filling.
| Original ingredient | Substitute | Ratio | Flavor note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fresh murta | Blueberries or raspberries | 1:1 | Sweeter, without the wild perfume |
| Powdered sugar | Granulated sugar | 1:1 | Slightly grainier dough |
| Butter | Baking margarine | 1:1 | Less flavor, similar texture |
| Pastry cream | Thick whipped cream | 1:1 | Lighter, less stable filling |
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. What is murta and where does it grow?
Murtilla (Ugni molinae) is a berry native to Chile that grows wild on shrubs from the Maule Region down to the southern regions. It is famous for its intense aroma, reminiscent of strawberry and clove.
2. Should the cream be baked together with the dough?
In this recipe the dough base is blind-baked first (on its own) to make sure it stays crisp. It is then filled with cold pastry cream and fresh murta berries, and the tart sets in the refrigerator rather than in the oven.
3. How do I keep the dough from slumping in the oven?
When you press the dough into the 23-centimeter tin, prick the base several times with a fork. You can also lay parchment paper over the dough with dried beans on top as weight for the first 10 minutes of baking.
4. How long does it keep in the refrigerator?
Because it contains pastry cream, it must be kept strictly refrigerated and eaten preferably within 48 hours, so the dough does not absorb moisture from the filling and go soft.
5. Can murta be replaced?
If murtilla is out of season, you can use other southern berries such as blueberries, raspberries, or calafate, although the characteristic perfume of murta is irreplaceable.
What Is Murta Kuchen?
Murta kuchen is a southern Chilean tart built on a buttery shortcrust base, filled with pastry cream and fresh murtilla berries, and served cold. The word “kuchen” is simply German for cake, and it entered Chilean baking through the German settlers who arrived in the south in the 19th century.
History of Murta Kuchen in Chile
German influence in southern Chile shows in many ways, and baking is without doubt one of them, with the kuchen being one of the traditional companions at “la once”, the Chilean afternoon tea. Local cooks adapted the German recipe to native fruit, and murta, gathered wild in the forests of the south, became one of the most prized fillings.
Did You Know?
Murtilla or murta is a fruit endemic to Chile that belongs to the Myrtaceae family, growing naturally on plants that range from 30 centimeters to 1.5 meters tall.
How to adapt this recipe to a vegan or vegetarian version?
How to adapt this recipe to a gluten-free version?
How to adapt this recipe to a keto (ketogenic) version?
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