Apple Chai Cheesecake Tart | A Showstopping Dessert

Recipe Inspiration

Y’all. Would you just look at this guy?! I will give you a moment.

I mean. Right?

When I received my tart pan and mandolin from the great folks at Paderno USA, I absolutely knew I wanted to make an apple tart with wee, thin apple slices in the shape of a big old rose.

And then I thought it might be nice to have a cheesecake layer underneath.

Because fruity plus creamy equals delicious.

Also, I own this wonderful chai baking spice–you may have seen me use it in the Vegan Vanilla Chai Pancakes–and I wanted to use it again.

So I thought apples and chai spices would be a great pairing. And I was right!

The good news is this is a delicious idea. And considering how schmancy this chai cheesecake tart looks, I promise it’s not too hard to make.

Let’s Talk Mandolins

You know what makes it easier to slice all the apples into wee thin crescents, don’t you? The mandolin, for one.

I have been giving the Paderno Mandolin Vegetable Slicer a real workout since I received it, and it makes more than short work of the apples.

There is a bit of a learning curve with it. For example, how to cut the apples so I get the crescent slices I wanted.

When I slice by hand, I cut the apple in quarters, cut out the core on a diagonal and then make thin slices down.

I tried that with the mandolin–cutting in quarters–and found it didn’t work well. I ended up getting all sorts of odd-shaped slices.

How To Slice Apples for This Tart

What did work–and worked very well–was this:

• cut the apple in half
• core it with a melon baller
• shave off thin “donuts” (because of the hole in the middle)

When I was done with that half, I just stacked them all up and cut them in half. Magical crescents!

The Mandolin Learning Curve

If you’ve been using a mandolin for a long time, you will already understand how to both keep the food on the food holder/pusher thing/guard while applying the right amount of pressure to slice.

This was my first time using a mandolin though, and it took me awhile to get it right. Once I got into the groove, it was all good, but if you’re new to using one, understand it might take you awhile to find your rhythm.

I would call this particular mandolin a “starter mandoline.”

• It will cut waffle fries and regular fries.
• It will let you julienne.
• It slices apples so thinly you can roll them up like paper.

Paderno does carry another couple of mandolins for serious professionals, but they are much more expensive.

If you try out this one and decide that you love working with a mandolin rather than a motorized food processor, you might consider purchasing one of the more “advanced” models, either the Paderno Japanese Mandoline or the Mack Daddy Bron Stainless Steel Mandoline which boasts 38 blades and is truly a manual food processor in every sense of the word.

The one I have, the Mandolin Vegetable Slicer, is great because it’s a “gateway mandolin” (yeah, I just made that up) made of ABS plastic and is top-rack dishwasher safe.

It’s equipped with blade guards and covers which minimize the risk of slicing off a part of yourself. Make no mistake–these blades are sharp.

I wouldn’t let a child use it, even with supervision, and I certainly gave it the respect it deserved while I was using it.

Things to Love About a Deep Dish Tart Pan

And the tart pan, the Deep Non-Stick Fluted Mold, is super sturdy.

I love the high sides which allow me to make a pie-ish tart. Or a tart-ish pie rather than simply one or the other.

It’s very heavy-duty and is definitely made for business.

I’ll be handwashing it, and I know it will last me forever.

How to Make This Chai Apple Cheesecake Tart

The Crust

The crust is a pâte sucrée, or sugar dough.

It’s enriched with some egg yolk and cream, and I added chai baking spice to it as well.

It bakes up very well with beautiful color all around, thanks in part to the dark finish on the tart pan. It’s also very easy to slice.

You can see from the photos that the crust bakes up crumbly and not flaky. That’s because you completely mix the butter into the flour and sugar.

When all the flour gets coated with fat, you don’t get gluten formation and you end up with a very short crust. (Short here means short gluten strands and a sandy, crumbly texture. Because the tart is 2″ high!)

The Filling and Apples

The cheesecake is incredibly delicious all on its own, and the apples add their subtle perfume and texture while also giving you that wow factor.

The cheesecake batter is a pretty straightforward cheesecake batter. It is enriched with some sour cream for a bit of tang, and it is also flavored with the chai baking spice, a bit of lemon zest, and vanilla.

Since it takes awhile to slice all the apples, I recommend you add the slices to a bowl of ice water with either a little lemon juice in it or some Fruit Fresh. This will keep your apples from browning as you slice and then assemble the cheesecake tart.

Is It a Pie or a Tart?

Or is it a cheesecake? It’s definitely kind of a hybrid dessert, and it is definitely delicious!

If you’re interested, you can read all about the difference between pies and tarts and then decide for yourself!

What Is the Best Way to Slice This Tart?

I have to admit to you that I was a bit concerned about slicing it. I knew the apples would be soft enough, but since I left on the peel, I thought perhaps I had made an Error.

The tart slices cleanly using a serrated blade.

Just cut in only one direction (from the inside out), and very lightly until you get through the peels.

Do not saw back and forth with your knife. Just apply light pressure and draw the knife from the inside of the pie outward.

I made multiple passes with very light pressure to make sure I didn’t mess up the apples. And: success!

Do not try to cut this guy with a regular dinner knife or even a sharp straight-edged knife.

Use a serrated blade.

Other than that pretty major caveat, the tart is pretty straightforward to make.

I have to tell you guys, this tart is seriously good.

It looks very intricate, but the mandolin makes short work of the apple slices. All the placing takes is a bit of patience. Your kids can even help with this part (and everything else except for the mandolin slicing, for that matter).

This is a showstopping dessert that both looks and tastes fantastic. For real.

What To Serve with This Dessert

For me, coffee is a go to beverage with most desserts. Why not try something a little out of the norm and make some of this rich, creamy beaten coffee? It’s made with instant coffee, and it is absolutely delicious. Promise.

Of course, some warming masala chai would also be a perfect accompaniment.

For another delicious apple-custard dessert, give my apple custard slab pie a look also.

Questions?

A Note About Measurements

Thanks very much for spending some time with me today. 

Have a lovely day.