Mini Cheesecakes I Recipes

Steps:

• Heat oven to 325 degrees F.
• Mix graham crumbs, 2 Tbsp. sugar and butter; press onto bottoms of 18 paper-lined muffin pan cups.
• Beat cream cheese, remaining 3/4 cup sugar and vanilla with mixer until blended. Add eggs, 1 at a time, mixing on low speed after each just until blended. Pour over crusts.
• Bake 25 to 30 min. or until centers are almost set. Cool completely. Refrigerate 2 hours.
• Beat whipping cream with mixer on high speed until stiff peaks form; spread gently onto cheesecakes. Top with blueberries and lemon zest.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line miniature muffin tins (tassie pans) with miniature paper liners.
• Crush the vanilla wafers, and place 1/2 teaspoon of the crushed vanilla wafers into each paper cup.
• In a mixing bowl, beat cream cheese, sugar, eggs and vanilla until light and fluffy. Fill each miniature muffin liner with this mixture, almost to the top.
• Bake for 15 minutes. Cool. Top with a teaspoonful of cherry pie filling.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Line muffin tins with 12 paper baking cups. Place a vanilla wafer in each one.
• In a medium mixing bowl beat cream cheese until fluffy. Add eggs, lemon juice, and sugar. Beat until smooth and thoroughly combined.
• Fill each baking cup 2/3 full with cream cheese mixture.
• Bake in preheated oven for 15 to 17 minutes. Cool on a rack. Top with fruit pie filling. Pipe whipped cream or sweetened cream cheese into a rosette on top of each cheesecake just prior to serving, if desired.

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
• Add the graham crackers to a food processor and pulse a few times to break up the crackers. Add the melted butter and pulse until the mixture is finely ground and resembles wet sand, with no large pieces remaining. (Alternatively, you can crush the graham crackers in a resealable bag with a rolling pin. Pour the crumbs into a bowl and stir in the melted butter to combine.)
• Line 4 cups in a muffin tin with paper liners. Divide the graham cracker mixture evenly between the cups. Use a small shot glass or the end of a wooden spoon to press the crumbs firmly into an even crust. Set aside.
• Beat the cream cheese and sugar in a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Add the lemon juice and vanilla and beat on medium speed until completely combined, about 30 seconds. Remove the bowl from the stand and stir the egg in by hand (do not use a mixer for this step).
• Divide the batter among the cups and tap the tin on the counter to release any air bubbles. Bake for 20 minutes, then let the cheesecakes cool near the oven--no drastic temperature changes. Chill the cheesecakes overnight, covered, in the fridge.
• Before serving, melt the chocolate and coconut oil in a double boiler or a heat-proof bowl fitted over a small saucepan of simmering water. (Alternatively, you can melt the chocolate and coconut oil in the microwave on low in 20-second intervals, stirring between each.)
• To make the strawberry hearts, slice 2 to 3 planks off each strawberry and use a 1/2-inch heart-shaped pie crust cutter to cut out hearts from each plank. Reserve the rest of the berry for another use.
• Decorate each cheesecake with 2 teaspoons melted chocolate and sprinkle the hearts on the cheesecakes like you own the place.