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No-Bake Chai Tart with Cherry Gelée

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A round tart with a glossy red filling topped with white chocolate circular decorations, set on a black surface.
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Today’s Recipe:

“Scattered Energies Leads to Unfulfilled Potential.” That’s a tarot reading I received more than twenty years ago. It’s the only one I still remember—and for good reason. I whisper that reminder to myself daily, with my scattered energies flying about in all directs, often feeling like a Jill of all trades, master of one, maybe two at best.

I began developing this recipe last October, when I was sans oven, then promptly forgot about it, distracted by other bakes and more pressing writing projects. Recently, I was showing friends photos of my creations, and this dessert was the shot that drew the “Ohs” of excitement. So, I decided to dust off the recipe and finally bring this dessert to life…just one of fifty-five potential recipes still waiting in the wings.

No-Bake Chai Tart with Cherry Gelée

  • Servings: One 9-inch tart
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A silky, luxuriously chai filling is perfectly complemented by a jewel-toned tart cherry gelée, lightly spiced with cloves. Each bite offers a delicate balance of rich sweetness, subtle spice, and bright, tart cherry.


Ingredients

    **CRUST**
  • 10 oz. package shortbread cookies, such as Lorna Doone
  • ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
  • ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
    • **CHAI FILLING**
  • ½ cup whole milk
  • 3 chai tea bags
  • 2 teaspoons (scant) powdered gelatin
  • 2 tablespoons cold water
  • 8 ounces white chocolate, chopped (not morsels)
  • 1 cup heavy whipping cream, cold
    • **CHERRY GELÉE**
  • ½ teaspoon (rounded) powdered gelatin
  • 1 tablespoon cold water
  • ½ cup tart cherry juice (unsweetened)
  • 2 tablespoons sugar
  • 2-3 whole cloves

Directions

  1. Make crust: In a food processor, process cookies into crumbs; add melted butter and salt. Press into the bottom and up the sides of a 9-inch tart pan, thicker on the sides and thinner at the bottom. Place crust in freezer to set.
  2. Make filling: Heat milk until just steaming. Remove from heat and add chai tea bags. Cover and steep 10-15 minutes. It should be strong but not bitter. Remove tea bags.
  3. While milk is steeping, sprinkle gelatin over cold water in a small bowl. Let bloom for 5–10 minutes. Place chopped white chocolate in a medium bowl and set aside. Stir the bloomed gelatin into the hot milk until fully dissolved. Pour hot milk mixture over the chocolate. Let sit 30 seconds, then whisk gently until smooth. If chocolate does not fully melt, place in microwave for 10-20 seconds and whisk until smooth. Stir in cold heavy whipping cream slowly to preserve the emulsion. Pour into tart shell. The filling will be liquid; for easier pouring, place the tart shell in the refrigerator and pour the filling directly into the shell. Cover and refrigerate at least 3 hours, preferably overnight, until firm.
  4. Make Gelée: Once filling is firm, bloom gelatin in cold water for 5 minutes. Warm cherry juice, sugar, and cloves in a small saucepan until sugar dissolves. Remove from heat and stir in bloomed gelatin until dissolved. Let cool until just barely warm, remove cloves, then pour over chilled filling. Chill at least 3 hours until set.

Two-Bit News:

Big news, friends! Gluten for Punishment has officially made its way onto the shelves of Jody Savage’s online indie-author bookstore—your one-stop spot for the best indie reads: Take a peek here

But wait, there’s more… I’m also now part of the wonderful world of Moonstone & Mist, a cozy pop-up and online bookstore that champions indie authors and community in Redondo Beach (and beyond!). Your next favorite read is just a click away: Explore Moonstone & Mist

And stay tuned! I’ll soon be joining Uncle Jimmy’s Podcast, a weekly show where host Jimmy Leary sits down with real people (that’s me!) for honest, unscripted conversations (that’s my life!). You can catch it on all major platforms—like Apple Podcasts. I’ll send the details and episode link as soon as it drops — you won’t want to miss it.

STRAWBERRY-ROSE FROZEN YOGURT

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A scoop of homemade Strawberry Rose Frozen Yogurt

Today’s Musings:
There’s a creature that sits upon my desk, just behind and to the left of my laptop. Completely at ease, he tucks his willowy left leg around to the right, and crosses his right leg over the other, as if preparing for a yogic Ardha Matsyendrasana (seated twist). One elbow sits atop his right knee, a pedestal for resting his head into his long, curved fingers, beaked nose and pointed chin framing his Cheshire grin. As he stares unblinkingly with his emerald eyes, and he always seems to be staring, I’m reminded of a harlequin…or the devil character in Bulgakov’s The Master and Margarita.  He sits poised, grinning and watching, ready to make a comment lest I try to write. As my hands hesitate above the keyboard, he whispers, “You’re a fraud,” “You’re not a writer,” “Go back to baking where you belong.” 

For the last two weeks, I tried ignoring him, wishing that he’d leave, attempting to escape him in every possible way: writing in a new location, choosing a different time, trying a different form, yet he continued to appear. 

Late last week, I finally looked up into his viridian eyes. He removed his hawkish chin from his hands and straighten up.

“Yes, Little One?”

“Who ARE you and why are you here, day after day?”

“I have many names: Imposter Syndrome, Writer’s Block, That Niggling Voice in your Head. I really hate that last one. I’m contracted to sprinkle doubt on your every word. I’ll be here until the bitter end, no matter what you do,” he cooed.

“Can’t you HELP me, instead of just pointing out what I’m doing wrong?”

“I cannot. There’s a no-help clause in my contract.”

“Well, what if you continue doing your job: make me doubt a line, a paragraph, the entire idea of writing this book, but then you took a break? Say, maybe 20 minutes of quiet time to treat yourself for a job well done, like a frozen yogurt or something? Then I can take that reprieve to figure out a solution rather than becoming mired in my defeat.”

“Ooo…I DO like a good homemade FroYo,” he purred while his reptile tongue flicked around his lips.

“So, it’s a deal, then? FroYo for a kibitzing reprieve?”

“It, My Dear, is a definite deal!”

Today’s Recipe: 
I originally envisioned making Strawberry-Basil or Strawberry-Balsamic Frozen Yogurt, but when I spied the bottle of rosewater, I couldn’t resist. A rosy disposition (now that I’ve made friends with my inner critic) deserves a rosy treat.

Fresh Strawberry-Rose Frozen Yogurt

Reducing the strawberry juice provides a big impact to flavor, even if you are using bland store-bought strawberries.


Ingredients

  • 1 pound fresh strawberries, washed and hulled
  • ¾ cup granulated sugar, divided
  • ⅛ teaspoon Kosher salt
  • 1 cup plain whole-milk Greek yogurt
  • 4 teaspoons (1 Tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon) rosewater
  • 1 Tablespoon fresh lemon juice

Directions

  1. Using a food processor, coarsely chop strawberries. In a medium bowl, stir together chopped strawberries, ½ cup granulated sugar, and salt. Set aside for 45 minutes. Don’t wash the bowl of the food processor, you will be using it again in step 4.
  2. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, mix together whole-milk Greek yogurt, remaining ¼ cup granulated sugar, rosewater, and lemon juice. Set aside.
  3. After 45 minutes, strain juice from strawberries into a small saucepan. Over medium-high heat, reduce strawberry juice to 4-5 tablespoons of syrup. Let cool.
  4. Return strawberries to the bowl of the food processor. Process until pureed and add to yogurt. Add slightly cooled strawberry syrup and combine well.
  5. Cover bowl and let rest in refrigerator for at least an hour, but overnight is preferred. Process frozen yogurt in your ice cream maker, following the manufacturer’s directions. Transfer to a container and keep frozen.