Hey there, we’re midway through Ramadan and I must say, it’s going much faster than I expected 😟. Every year I forget how quickly Ramadan goes.
But anyway, we still have half of Ramadan to go, which means we have more Ramadan recipes coming. And let me tell you, you’re going to like this next one!
As you know, the whole idea behind this Ramadan series was to make desserts inspired by quintessential, nostalgic Ramadan flavors. Of course, every household has its own Ramadan dishes and flavors, but if there was one universally loved thing that’s made in Muslim homes around the world in Ramadan in Tang.
This tangy, orange-y, sweet, and sour drink has always been a classic Ramadan drink at my home, including so many others. I remember when we would pack kilos worth of tang packets in our backs while traveling back home for our relatives in India, and I remember when my nephews in Canada would ask us to send them tang whenever someone traveled to them.
Basically, we can’t do Ramadan without Tang 😅.
If you’ve grown up in a place that does not have Tang (I’m sorry for your loss), it’s basically an orange drink powder, similar to Kool-Aid. Tang does come in many other flavors but the real ones know that orange Tang is the only acceptable kind 😬 .
So given that fasting was impossible without Tang, I obviously had to create a dessert with it.
Now what I personally love about tang is its sweet and sour flavor or its “tangy-ness”. So I wanted to make sure that I maintain that orange kick that you get when you gulp down a glass of tang in the dessert. And of course, it had to be something cold that hit all the right notes.
I struggled on it for a bit, then it suddenly hit me – Tang cheesecake!
Cheesecakes are known to have a slightly sour kick thanks to the cream cheese, and they’re cold, which made cheesecake the perfect dessert to channel that delicious tang flavor.
And let me tell you, I was so right about it.
The tang cheesecake is nothing but an ode to the tangy flavor of the classic drink and sings all the songs of a juicy, cold, glass of tang.
Here’s what the cheesecake is made of:
Biscuit base
Like every cheesecake, this one also begins with a crunchy biscuit crust, but it’s not just any crust. The crust of this tang cheesecake uses digestives, brown sugar, and some orange zest that adds a perfect kick of orange and ties together with the cheesecake beautifully.
The brown sugar also helps make the base not turn rock hard, which makes it easy for cutting and eating.
The crust is really simple to make – all you have to do is blend together all the ingredients until you have a nice mixture that holds together properly. Once that’s done, you can create your base in a springform pan and level it using a measuring spoon or anything with a flat surface.
I like to keep my base a little thick to balance the crunchiness with the soft cheesecake layer.
Tang Cheesecake layer
Now let’s talk about the star of the show. The tang cheesecake layer really brings the orange tang flavor to life. It’s jam-packed with tang powder! I taste-tested and kept adding more until I could taste that delicious tangy kick when I ate it. What makes it extra special, though, is adding an extra bit of orange flavor with orange zest and orange juice. That really helped highlight the flavors of tang and elevated the cheesecake to the next level.
The cheesecake layer is very simple to make, all you need is an electric blender and you’ll be good to go!
The cheesecake layer is set on top of the crunchy biscuit base overnight and results in the most creamy dessert! 😍
Tang Jelly
The tang cheesecake is finished with a delicious tang jelly topping. This doesn’t just make the cake look 💯 and totally professional, but gives sit that extra kick of tang. Plus, it’s literally made with three ingredients – tang, water, and gelatin!
It also gives the cake a child-like flavor and really brings you back to the time when you’d break your fast on a hot day with your family and gulp down a chilled glass of tang 🥲.
I hope I’ve gotten you as excited about this dessert as I am!
Let’s not waste any more time and get started!
PS: I always measure ingredients in grams, never in cups. Using a measuring scale is the only way to bake accurately. Cups are very unreliable and can give different measurements, so I would suggest you buy a measuring scale before you start baking! If you can’t get your hands on one, you can use the online tools for converting grams into cups, however, I do not guarantee their accuracy.
PPS: if you notice a * after any word, it means that there are additional tips about it after the recipe
Tang Cheesecake
Equipment
- Stand or electric mixer
- 7” springform pan
- Blender
Ingredients
Biscuit Base
- 200 gs digestive biscuit
- 20 gs brown sugar
- 1 tbsp orange zest
- 100 gs melted butter
Cheesecake Layer
- 530 gs cream cheese
- 75 gs granulated white sugar
- 200 gs orange tang powder
- 2 tbsp orange zest
- 1 tbsp orange juice
- 45 gs sour cream
- 1/2 tsp vanilla essence
- 250 ml heavy whipping cream
Tang Jelly
- 15 gs gelatin powder
- 75 ml ice-cold water (for blooming)
- 500 ml water (for heating)
- 50 gs orange tang powder
Instructions
Biscuit Base
- In a blender, add the digestive biscuits (200 gs), brown sugar (20 gs), and orange zest (1 tbs), and blend until you have a fine mixture. Then, add the melted butter (100 gs) and blend again until you have a wet mixture that holds it’s shape properly.
- Transfer the biscuit base in a springform pan and create your base by pushing the mixture to the bottom. Make sure you pack the base as tightly as possible and don’t leave any holes. I recommend using anything with a flat surface like a measuring cup to push it down. This ensure that the crust does not break apart while cutting. Let the crust chill for at least an hour.
Cheesecake Layer
- In the bowl of a stand mixer with a paddle attachment or an electric mixer, add the cream cheese (530 gs), sugar (75 gs), tang powder (200 g), and orange zest (2 tbsp), and mix on med-high speed it until everything is well combined. You want to ensure that the tang powder is properly incorporated in the cream cheese. Rub the mix between your gingers and beat until you don’t feel any grains and the mixture is completely smooth.
- Add orange juice (1 tbsp), sour cream (45 gs), and vanilla essence (1/2 tsp) and mix for 2-3 minutes on med-high speed until everything is well combined. Make sure your mixture is completely smooth and has no lumps.
- In a separate bowl, add the heavy whipping cream (250 ml) and whisk until it reaches stiff peaks*.
- Add the whipped cream into the cream cheese mix and gently fold it in with a silicone spatula. Make sure you’re taking your time and folding the cream in gently, you don’t want to knock any air off the batter. The whipped cream is what helps give the cheesecake a firm structure, so if you mix it too vigorously, you will end up with a loose cheesecake layer that will not set properly.
- Once it’s all mixed together, transfer the cheesecake layer to the biscuit base and let it chill overnight in the freezer.
Tang Jelly
- The jelly will be poured on the cheesecake layer the next day after it’s set in the freezer overnight.
- Bloom the gelatin: Sprinkle the gelatin powder (15 gs) on ice-cold water (75 ml), and mix until slightly dissolved, then let it set in the fridge for 15 minutes.
- Heat the water (500 ml) on the stove or in a microwave, then add the tang powder (50 gs) and gelatin and whisk until everything is dissolved and well combined
- Let the mixture cool down to room temperature, then slowly pour it over the frozen cheesecake layer. If you pour it while it’s still hot, it will melt the cheesecake layer. Let the cake chill in the fridge for 4-6 hours the jelly is completely set.
Notes
- Stiff peaks: This term is used to describe how whipped the whipped cream should be. Stiff peaks refer to fully-whipped cream, where when you pick your whisk up from the cream, it creates stiff, stable peaks*
- This cake can be stored in the fridge in an airtight container for 2-3 days
That’s how you make this delicious tang cheesecake! The best part is that you can prep this way in advance and keep it for your next party. Cause no one wants to spend hours in the kitchen right before Iftar!
The chilling time may be long, but the actual efforts are minimal, trust me!
So, are you going to give this recipe a try? If you do, don’t forget to comment and let me know how you liked it. And of course, don’t forget to share it with me on Instagram!
Don’t forget to check out all the recipes from the Ramadan series here.
See you next time!
I can’t really describe how beautiful this recipe is. The taste of Tang was so nostalgic yet so modern.