Mini cheesecakes
Description: Recipe video above. Fabulously adorable little individual cheesecakes that are perfect for gatherings. They are easier to make than 1 large cheesecake and a whole lot less messy to serve! Decorate with berries and whipped cream, or use the topping from this Strawberry or Blueberry Cheesecake.Please ensure the fridge ingredients are at room temperature so the filling mixture is completely smooth. Nobody wants little lumps in their cheesecake!
Ingredients
- 150g/ 5 oz digestive biscuits (10 pieces) or Graham Crackers (20 squares) ( (Note 1 for other biscuits)
- 60g / 4 tbsp unsalted butter (, melted)
- 1 tbsp caster sugar (superfine sugar)
- 1/8 tsp cinnamon powder (optional)
- Pinch of salt
- 375g / 12 oz cream cheese (block), at room temperature (Note 2)
- 1 1/2 tbsp flour (, plain / all-purpose)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup sour cream (, room temperature (or plain yogurt)
- 1/2 cup caster sugar (superfine sugar)
- 1 1/2 tsp lemon zest (1 lemon)
- Pinch of salt
- 2 large eggs (, must be at room temperature (Note 3)
- 1 1/2 cups thickened / heavy cream
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 15g / 2 tbsp icing sugar / powdered sugar (, sifted (or 1 tbsp caster sugar)
- Strawberries (small), blueberries and raspberries
- 12 small sprigs of mint
- Icing sugar / powdered sugar (, for dusting)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 160°C / 325°F (140°C fan) with the shelf 1/3 from the bottom of the oven. Line a 12-hole standard muffin tin with paper muffin liners.
- Base:
- Blitz: Break the crackers up with your hands then blitz in a food processor until they form fine crumbs - about 10 seconds or so. (Note 4) Add remaining Base ingredients, blitz to combine. It should have the texture of wet sand.
- Press: Divide mixture between the muffin tin holes. Press down firmly to flatten using something flat and round. A 1/3 cup measure fits perfectly in mine my tin holes for this purpose.
- Bake: Backe for 7 minutes then cool bases for 5 minutes before filling.
- Filling:
- Filling (Note 5): Beat cream cheese on speed 5 of an electric beater just until smooth (~ 10 seconds). Add flour, vanilla, sour cream, sugar and lemon. Beat on speed 5 just until combined (~10 seconds). Beat in eggs one at a time just until incorporated. Mixture should be like a thick pancake batter.
- Bake filling: Divide mixture between muffin holes. Use it all - you can can go within 3mm of rim as it won’t rise much. Bake for 20 minutes.
- Chill: Remove from the oven then cool for 1 hour on the counter in the muffin tin. When cooled, cover with baking/parchment paper then loosely with cling wrap. Refrigerate for at least 6 hours and preferably overnight, or until the liner can be peeled off cleanly.
- Decorate and serve:
- De-chill: If you have the time, remove cheesecakes from the fridge 30 minutes prior to serving, to take some of the fridge chill out (the cheesecake is nicer at room temperature).
- Chantilly cream: Place ingredients in a bowl and beat on high until the cream is thick enough to pipe/dollop.
- Decorate: Pipe or dollop with cream, decorate with berries, dust with icing sugar. Serve proudly!