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Raspberry Mini Cheesecakes

Source of Recipe

From "The Complete Small Plates Cookbook" by America's Test Kitchen


Recipe Introduction

"These adorable miniature cheesecakes, dressed up with a raspberry and a dollop of jam, can be put together with minimal fuss and yield enough to serve a large group. Using sweetened condensed milk in the filling streamlines the ingredient list, removing the need for additional sugar, sour cream, and even vanilla. For the crusts, we simply drop a shortbread cookie into each muffin cup. Lining a muffin tin with cupcake liners makes the individual cheesecakes easy and mess-free to extract. As for the raspberry flavor, a double dose of raspberry jam (one layer spread over the cookie and one layer on top) plus a fresh raspberry do the trick. We like to use Keebler brand Sandies for our crusts, since they fit perfectly into a muffin tin. If you use a thinner cookie, your mini cheesecakes will be slightly more mini. Be sure to use sweetened condensed milk, not evaporated milk, here. To soften cream cheese quickly, microwave it for 20 to 30 seconds."

List of Ingredients

â—¦ 12 round shortbread cookies, 2 inches in diameter and ½ inch thick
â—¦ ½ cup seedless raspberry jam, divided
â—¦ 1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
â—¦ ½ cup sweetened condensed milk
â—¦ 2 large eggs
â—¦ 12 fresh raspberries (optional)


Recipe

Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 300 degrees. Line 12-cup muffin tin with cupcake liners. Place cookies in cupcake liners. Dollop with 1 teaspoon jam each.

With electric mixer on medium-high speed, beat cream cheese until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Gradually beat in condensed milk, scraping down sides of bowl as necessary, until incorporated. Add eggs, one at a time, and beat until smooth, 2 to 3 minutes.

Divide batter evenly among cupcake liners. Bake until set, about 20 minutes. Transfer to wire rack and let cool completely, about 20 minutes. Refrigerate until set, about 1 hour. Remove cheesecakes from muffin tin. Microwave remaining ¼ cup jam until thinned slightly, about 15 seconds, and use it to glaze cheesecakes. Top each cheesecake with fresh raspberry, if using. Serve.

Serves 12