I simply love cheesecake and that's that. Whether it is for my my loved one or a dinner gathering, it is very rewarding preparing one and then getting satisfaction from seeing whoever enjoy it. I do have a reputation though. There can be one or two slices left, that I sneekily devour on my own after the guests have gone home or my wife has gone to bed.
I thought I'd go "mini" on this occasion and yes, this is a first with cheesecaking. A little worried though, that a couple of bites would be all I need to satisfy. Okay, so it was back to basics here, vanilla cream cheese on a ginger biscuit base with a...any jam really, simple! Just prepare and chill these and you’ll never worry again, You’re safe now, go on, have one, or two, or...
Note: You'll need a non-stick mini cheesecake pan with 12 molds and loose bases for these sweet, tasty treats. If you don't have one, then you can use a regular muffin pan. Just make sure to line the muffin pan with some cupcake liners, so you can easily remove the cheesecakes from the pan.
Prep Time: 20-30 mins
Cook Time: None
Serves: 12
Ingredients:
For the crust:
150g gingersnap biscuits
2 tsp sugar
60g unsalted butter, melted
For the cheesecake:
300g Philadelphia cheese, softened
180g heavy cream
150g icing sugar, sifted
1 tsp vanilla essence
For the Topping:
1 dessert spoon of blackcurrent or blueberry jam per cheesecake
Instructions:
1. Crush the biscuits in a blender or food processor, or by putting them in a self-seal bag and crush them with a rolling pin.
2. Melt the butter in a large saucepan. Tip the biscuit crumbs into the butter and mix well until thoroughly combined. Press the crumbs onto the base of individual serving tins - about 2 two heaped tablespoons per tin.
3. In a bowl, beat together the cream cheese and sugar; about 3 minutes, Then add the vanilla extract and beat for an additional minute. Spoon cheesecake mix on top of each individual biscuit base. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours.
4. Remove from fridge and gently ease the cheesecakes out of each mold. Top each with a dessert spoon of blueberry jam.