Mini Cheesecakes

In a muffin tray, these sweet tiny cheesecakes are created! They're picture-perfect, easier to create than one big cheesecake, and far less messy to serve. Are you already picturing everyone's oohs and ahhs when you show up with a tray of these little goodies at your next get-together?

Ingredients :

BASE :

• 150g/5 oz Graham Crackers (20 squares) or 10 digestive biscuits

• Melted 60g/4 tbsp unsalted butter

• Caster sugar, 1 tablespoon (superfine sugar)

• 1/8 teaspoon of ground cinnamon (optional)

• One pinch of salt

FILLING :

• 375g (12 oz) of block cream cheese, at room temperature

• 1 1/2 tablespoons of ordinary or all-purpose flour

• 1/2 cup of room temperature sour cream and one teaspoon of vanilla essence (or plain yogurt)

• Half a cup of caster sugar (superfine sugar)

• 2 large eggs, which must be at room temperature, 1 1/2 tsp lemon zest (1 lemon), and a pinch of salt

CANTALOUPE CREAM :

• 1-and-a-half cups thickened/heavy cream

• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

• 15 grams or 2 tablespoons of icing or powdered sugar, sifted (or 1 tbsp caster sugar)

INTERIOR DESIGN (OPTIONAL) :

• 12 small sprigs of mint, small strawberries, blueberries, and raspberries

•  For dusting, use icing sugar or powdered sugar

STEPS :

     1. Preheat :

Set the oven to 160°C (or 325°F) (140°C fan) and position the shelf 1/3 from the bottom. Paper muffin liners should be used to line a 12-hole standard muffin pan.

     2. Base :

Blitz: Break the crackers into small pieces with your hands, then pulse them in a food processor for 10–15 seconds, or until they resemble fine crumbs. (Note 4) Add the remaining Base components and blend well. It ought to feel like moist sand.

Divide the mixture among the muffin tray holes by pressing. Use anything flat and spherical to flatten by applying firm pressure. For this use, a 1/3 cup measure fits wonderfully in my tin holes.

Bake: Bake for 7 minutes, let bases cool for 5, then fill.

     3. Filling :

Cream cheese should be creamy after around 10 seconds of electric mixer speed 5. Combine the flour, lemon, sour cream, vanilla, and sugar. Just beat on speed 5 for 10 seconds to mix. One at a time, beat in the eggs just until combined. The mixture ought to resemble thick pancake batter.

Filling for baking: Distribute mixture among muffin cavities. Use it all; since it won't rise much, you can get as close to the rim as 3 millimeters. For 20 minutes, bake.

Remove from the oven, then let the baked goods cool in the muffin tin on the counter for an hour. Cover with parchment or baking paper once it has cooled, then cling wrap in a loose manner. Place in the fridge for at least 6 hours, ideally overnight, or until the lining comes off easily.

     4. Serve and Decorate :

Remove cheesecakes from the fridge 30 minutes before serving, if you have the time, to let some of the chill from the fridge out (the cheesecake is nicer at room temperature).

In a bowl, combine the ingredients for the chantilly cream and beat vigorously until the cream is thick enough to pipe or dollop.

Decorate: Pipe or dollop with cream, add berries, then sprinkle with powdered sugar. Serve with honor!

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