Yesterday my friend came over to make the best kind of valentines: edible ones. I had a promise to fulfill to a friend, and so I decided on mini cheesecakes. Inspired by a Martha recipe for raspberry-almond financiers (check out the link, they are adorable), I decided to add a heart of jam.
First you whip up the batter (now how could a girl have anything but a perfect V-day with 4 packages of cream cheese softening in her hands?). Then you pop a little ‘Nilla Wafer in the bottom. My friend was incredulous that I hadn’t heard of these great American delicacies. My my, the culinary treasures we have yet to discover in this grand country.
Then you pour in the batter, and drop a bit of raspberry jam on top, near the edge. Using the tip of a paring knife, you simply draw a line through the center of the drop of jam, forming a heart.
They got a little crackled when they were subject to the heat of the oven, but I still accepted them. I doctored them up a little with fresh jam, trying as I may to fix the broken hearts. They could’ve been a little softer, and so next time I’d actually follow the original 20 minutes baking time.
Micro Mini Cheesecakes
Makes 6 — a swift quadrupling was most definitely in order ; )
6 vanilla wafers
8 oz block cream cheese at room temperature (the cheese won’t whip properly if it’s too cold. I speak from experience)
1/4 cup sugar
1 large egg
1/8 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/2 tsp all purpose flour
1/8 tsp salt
raspberry jam
- Preheat oven to 375°
- Line muffin tin with foil cupcake liners. Place 1 vanilla wafer (flat side down) in bottom of each liner
- With a mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, or with a hand mixer, whip cream cheese until light and fluffy. Add sugar and combine. Mix in egg and vanilla, then flour and salt.
- Divide the filling among the lined cups, filling each no more than 1/4 cup. Drop a scant 1/2 tsp of jam near edge of batter. Drag the tip of a paring knife through to make a heart. Bake for 20 minutes. Let cool to room temperature to set, and chill for up to 3 days
courtesy of myrecipes.com