Mini Choc Orange Cheesecake Tarts Food

MINI CHOCOLATE-ORANGE CHEESECAKES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 275°F. In a medium bowl, combine the graham-cracker crumbs, butter, and sugar. Mix well.
• Place cupcake liners in a regular-sized muffin tin and spoon 1 tbsp. of crumb mixture into each liner and press down firmly.
• With an electric or stand mixer, whip the cream cheese until smooth, about 2 to 3 minutes. Add the sugar, and mix well. Add in the orange extract and eggs, and mix until just combined. Add the sour cream, and incorporate completely.
• Melt ¾ cup chocolate chips in the microwave for 45 seconds. Stir well, and heat in 10-second increments until fully melted.
• Fold 1 cup of the cheesecake mixture into the melted chocolate, and mix completely.
• Spoon about 1 tbsp. of chocolate cheesecake mixture on top of the graham-cracker crust, and smooth over. Repeat with the rest of the crusts.
• Add the orange zest to the cheesecake mixture that is still in the bowl, and mix well. Spoon about 1 tbsp. of this mixture over the chocolate mixture, and smooth over.
• Bake for 30 minutes and let cool to room temperature on a cooling rack.
• Meanwhile, place the remaining ½ cup chocolate chips in a medium-sized bowl.In a small saucepan, heat the heavy cream over medium heat and bring to a simmer. (Don't boil!)
• Pour the cream over the chocolate chips and let sit for 3 minutes before stirring, and then mix until completely smooth. Drizzle the chocolate over the cheesecakes. Place cheesecakes in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours before serving.

MINI CHOC-ORANGE CHEESECAKE TARTS

Steps:

• Turn a metal muffin or bun tin upside down. Divide the cookie dough into 12 pieces. Roll each piece into a ball, then press over each dome, shaping down the sides to make an upside-down tart case. Chill for 30 mins.
• Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Bake the tin and cookie dough for 12-15 mins until the tart cases are golden. While still warm, cut away any excess that has dripped down the sides, prying with a knife to remove. Cool on a wire rack.
• Whip the cream to soft peaks, then stir in the cream cheese and icing sugar. Drain the mandarins, reserving the juice. Add 4 tbsp of mandarin juice to the cream mixture and beat until smooth. Spoon into the cases and top with slices of mandarin. Chill until ready to serve.

INDIVIDUAL ORANGE AND CHOCOLATE CHEESECAKES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Combine the crushed chocolate wafers and the melted butter. Place a tightly packed teaspoon of the wafer mixture into each mini-muffin cup and press down firmly.
• In a food processor combine the ricotta cheese, cream cheese, 1/4 cup of the sugar, half of the orange zest, and the egg. Blend until smooth. Lightly grease the sides of the mini muffin tin with butter. Fill the cups with about 1 1/2 tablespoons of the cheesecake mixture. Place the mini muffin tin in a baking dish and pour enough hot water in the baking dish to come halfway up the sides of the mini muffin tin. Bake for 25 minutes. Transfer the mini muffin tin to a wire rack and let cool for 30 minutes. Refrigerate for 15 minutes. Use a small knife to gently pop the cheesecakes out of the cups.
• Just before serving, combine the remaining orange zest with the remaining 2 tablespoons of sugar. Top each individual cheesecake with about 1/4 teaspoon of the orange zest mixture and serve.

MINI CHEESECAKE TARTS

Steps:

• Beat cream cheeses at medium speed with an electric mixer until smooth; add sugar and flour, and beat well.
• Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating until blended after each addition.
• Stir in extracts.
• Lightly coat 6 (4-inch) tart pans with removable bottoms with vegetable cooking spray; sprinkle pans evenly with gingersnap crumbs, shaking to coat bottom and sides of pans.
• (Let excess crumbs remain, evenly covering bottom of each tart pan.)
• Place tart pans on a baking sheet.
• Divide cheesecake batter evenly between tart pans.
• Bake at 350° for 18 to 20 minutes or until set.
• Remove from oven, and let cool on a wire rack 30 minutes; remove from tart pans. (A pancake turner works great for removing the tarts from the bottom of the pans and transferring them to a serving platter.)
• Divide fruit evenly, and arrange decoratively over each cheesecake.
• Garnish with mint, if desired.

MINI CHOCOLATE CHEESECAKES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners.
• Combine cookie crumbs and melted butter in a bowl until evenly combined and mixture resembles coarse sand. Divide mixture evenly and sprinkle into the bottom of the prepared muffin cups; use the bottom of a cup to press crumbs firmly into a crust.
• Bake in the preheated oven for 5 minutes. Remove crusts to a wire rack. Reduce oven temperature to 300 degrees F (150 degrees C).
• While the crusts are cooling, combine cream cheese, sugar, and cocoa powder in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Whip on medium to high speed, scraping down the sides and bottom as needed, until smooth and evenly combined. Blend in sour cream and vanilla. Add eggs, one at a time, blending after each addition until mixture is smooth and even and scraping the sides as necessary. Divide filling evenly between the crusts.
• Place in the oven and bake for 15 minutes. Turn the oven off, and leave cheesecakes in the oven without opening the door for 10 more minutes. Remove from the oven and let sit at room temperature for 30 minutes. Chill in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour before serving.