Mini Chocolate Orange Cheesecakes 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.

CHOCOLATE ORANGE CHEESECAKES

Steps:

• Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 350°F. Butter muffin cups.
• Grind wafers to a fine powder in a food processor.
• Mix together wafer crumbs, 2 tablespoons butter, and 2 tablespoons brown sugar in a bowl with a rubber spatula until combined well. Divide crumbs among muffin cups, then firmly press onto bottom and a little up side of each cup with your fingertips or with bottom of an 1/8-cup measure by twisting measure.
• Bake 5 minutes, then transfer to a rack and cool in muffin pan 10 minutes. Gently rotate crusts with your fingertips to loosen and turn out onto rack.
• Beat together cream cheese, zest, and remaining brown sugar (3 tablespoons plus 1/3 teaspoon) with an electric mixer at medium-high speed until fluffy. Beat cream in another bowl with cleaned beaters until it just holds stiff peaks. Stir about one third of whipped cream into cream cheese mixture to lighten, then gently fold in remaining whipped cream until just combined.
• Mound filling into crusts with a spoon (or pipe filling into crusts with a pastry bag) and serve, or 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.