Wondering how Chai, Parle G biscuits, and Maggi noodles ended up in the same recipe? Well, it all started with a hilarious stand-up routine by a local comedian. He took us on a laugh-out-loud tour of an Indian grocery store, highlighting the go-to comfort foods of lonely Indian guys – Chai, Parle G biscuits, and Maggi noodles, of course. Inspired by his comedic set, I decided to create this dessert as a fun challenge. After some trial and error, I’ve perfected the recipe to my taste. The rich spicy notes of chai masala work beautifully with the tangy, creamy cheesecake and crumbly Parle G biscuits. The candied Maggi noodle topping adds a delightfully crunchy texture and makes a nice conversation piece!

The dessert, which I’ve affectionately named “The Indian Girlfriend” has been a huge hit among my friends and family!

Mini Chai spice cheesecakes with Parle G and Maggi noodles

A no bake chai spice cheesecake recipe with Parle G crust and candied Maggi noodles

Servings 24 mini cheesecakes

Ingredients

Parle G Crust

2 cups Parle G biscuit crumbs 240 g
1/3 Light or dark brown sugar 67 g
8 tbsp Unsalted butter, melted 113g
1/4 tsp Cardamom powder

Cheesecake

1 and 1/4 cups Heavy whipping cream, refrigerator cold 300 ml
24 ounces Full fat cream cheese softened to room temperature. Do not use whipped cream cheese 678 g
2/3 cup Granulated sugar 134 g
1/4 cup Sour cream at room temperature 60 g
1 tbsp Lemon juice
1/2 tsp Vanilla extract
1 and 1/2 tbsp Chai masala powder. Do not use instant chai mixes with milk powder and added sweetener.
2 Tea bags of cardamom chai. I use the Tetley elaichi tea brand. Optional
1/4 cup Hot water if using chai tea bags

Candied Maggi Noodles

1/2 pack Maggi Noodles
2 tbsp Unsalted butter, melted 28g
2 tbsp Granulated sugar 25g

Equipment

Hand mixer or stand mixer with whisk and paddle attachment
24 2 ounce Mini dessert cups

Instructions

Make the cheesecake crust

Combine all the ingredients for the crust in a bowl, and mix well. The mixture should look like wet sand.
Divide the crumb mixture among the mini dessert cups and press down into a uniform layer. If the dessert cups are oven proof, you can bake the cups in a 350 F oven for 5 minutes to set the crust. Otherwise, just make sure the crust is pressed down into a firm layer in each cup.
Set aside in the refrigerator while you make the cheesecake filling.

Make the cheesecake filling

If using chai tea bags, add the teabags to a 1/4 cup of hot water and let them steep for 10 minutes. Then squeeze as much liquid as possible from the tea bags and discard them. You will now have a small cup of really strong tea. Set aside.
If using a stand mixer, cool the bowl down in the freezer, or by swirling a cup of water and a handful of ice cubes. Discard the water and wipe dry.
Using a hand mixer or stand mixer with the whisk attachment, whip the whipping cream into stiff peaks. This takes about 8-10 minutes on medium setting. When the cream starts to leave trails, pay careful attention to the whipped cream. The cream is ready when the cream just starts to form stiff peaks. Do not over whip the cream, or it will turn into butter.
Transfer the whipped cream to a large mixing bowl.
In the same bowl that you used to whip the cream, whip the softened cream cheese and sugar together with the paddle attachment until it is smooth and creamy and free of lumps. Scrape the sides of the bowl down as needed.
Next add the lemon juice, sour cream, and vanilla extract and beat for two more minutes.
Add a tbsp of the chai masala, and half the concentrated tea to the cream cheese and mix for a couple more minutes. Stop and taste a little bit of the cream cheese mixture. If the tea flavor is not strong enough, add the rest of the masala and concentrated tea and mix again for another minute.
Fold the whipped cream into the cream cheese using a spatula being careful not to deflate the whipped cream. Continue to fold gently until the whipped cream and cream cheese mixture are evenly incorporated. Taste the mixture and adjust the chai flavor and sweetness if needed.
Fill the mini dessert cups with the cheesecake mix smoothing down the tops of the cup. Using a piping bag with a round tip makes this easier. However, you can also just spoon some mixture into the cups and clean up the tops.
Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, preferably overnight, to set the cheesecakes.

Make the topping

Preheat your oven to 350 F.
Break up the Maggi noodles into 1” pieces and combine with the melted butter and sugar in a small bowl.
Spread the Maggi noodles on a baking tray lined with aluminum foil, or a silicone mat and bake at 350 F for 2 minutes.
Remove and stir the noodles and bake for one more minute. Be careful not to burn the Maggi noodles.
Set aside to cool

Assemble dessert

Just before serving, top the cheesecakes with pieces of candied noodles, and any of the leftover biscuit crumble.

Notes

I have tested this recipe with mini cups that hold about 2 ounces. This recipe should also work as a single large cheesecake in a 9″ springform pan or pie plate. I find the mini cheesecakes set faster and make for a more elegant presentation.