Mini Chocolate Raspberry Truffle Cheesecakes Food

MINI WHITE CHOCOLATE-RASPBERRY CHEESECAKES

Steps:

• Heat oven to 325°F.
• Combine cookie crumbs and butter; press onto bottoms of 12 paper-lined muffin cups, adding about 1 Tbsp. crumb mixture to each cup.
• Beat cream cheese, vanilla and 1/2 cup sugar in large bowl with mixer until blended. Add melted chocolate; mix well. Add eggs, 1 at a time, mixing on low speed after each just until blended. Spoon over crusts.
• Reserve 12 raspberries for garnish. Process remaining raspberries with remaining sugar in food processor or blender until smooth. Pour through fine-mesh strainer into bowl. Discard strained solids.
• Pour strained raspberry sauce into resealable plastic bag. Cut small piece off one bottom corner of bag; use to pipe 3 small dots raspberry sauce onto batter in each muffin cup. Use toothpick to swirl raspberry sauce into heart-shaped designs as shown in photo.
• Bake 18 to 20 min. or until centers of cheesecakes are almost set. Cool cheesecakes completely. Refrigerate 2 hours.
• Cut reserved raspberries in half; place, cut sides down, on tops of cheesecakes.

MINI CHOCOLATE-RASPBERRY TRUFFLE CHEESECAKES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
• Mix graham cracker crumbs, sugar, butter, and cinnamon together in a bowl until well blended. Press mixture evenly into the cups of a mini muffin tin.
• Bake in the preheated oven until golden, about 7 minutes. Remove from oven; allow to cool, about 5 minutes.
• Reduce oven temperature to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).
• Heat cream in the top of a double boiler over low heat until it begins to bubble. Remove from heat. Add chocolate chips; stir until fully melted. Mix in raspberry preserves; stir until dissolved. Allow mixture to cool, 8 to 10 minutes.
• Combine cream cheese and sugar in a bowl; beat until smooth. Blend in eggs 1 at a time using a wooden spoon. Fold in sour cream. Add chocolate-raspberry mixture; mix batter well.
• Pour batter into crust-lined muffin tin, filling cups to the brim. Place tin into a large baking pan; pour in enough boiling water to come halfway up the outside of the muffin cups.
• Bake in the preheated oven until set, about 20 minutes.
• Turn oven off; open oven door halfway and leave cheesecakes, still in the tin, inside to cool for 1 hour. Remove from oven; cool completely, about 1 hour more. Refrigerate until completely chilled, 8 hours to overnight.

CHOCOLATE RASPBERRY TRUFFLE CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• Prepare a 9" springform pan: Attache bottom to sides and spray with non-stick vegetable spray. Wrap outside of pan with foil to "seal" the seams for the Bain Marie (water bath).
• Combine crumbs and butter and press onto bottom of the springform pan.
• Combine 3 packages cream cheese and the sugar, mixing at medium speed until well blended.
• Add eggs, one at a time, blending on low speed till incorporated well.
• Blend in sour cream and vanilla; pour over crust.
• Combine remaining cream cheese and the melted chocolate, mixing until well blended. Add jam and mix well.
• Drop rounded tablespoons of chocolate-raspberry-cheese mixture evenly spaced over plain batter; pushing the "truffles" into the plain batter if necessary; do not swirl.
• Bake in the Bain Marie at 325F for 1 hour and 20 minutes.
• Bain Marie - Use a large roasting pan, place springform pan in roasting pan then fill roasting pan with boiling water to a level of half way up the sides of the springform pan.
• Remove cake from Bain Marie and allow to cool for 30 minutes.
• Loosen cake from rim of pan with a thin flexible blade and then remove sides from springform pan. Cool completely.
• Prepare Topping: Melt chocolate chips and whipping cream over low heat, stirring until smooth. Spread over cheesecake, top and down sides, as well, as desired. Chill for at least 4 hour.
• Alternate shortbread crust: In a food processor, place 1 cup + 2 Tbs. AP flour, 4 or 5 Tbs. sugar, 3 Tbs. cocoa powder (the darker the better), a pinch of salt, and 5 Tbs. cold butter. Pulse to combine and cut in butter. Add 1 1/2 egg yolks and process till dough comes together. Divide into 2/3 and 1/3. Use larger portion for bottom, pressing onto removable bottom of pan and bake at 350º F for 12-14 minutes. Roll remaining third into a rope long enough to go around the pan's circumference. Remove baked bottom crust from oven and allow to cool slightly. Attach sides of pan to bottom and press remaining crust around the sides of the pan and up about 2 inch high (height is not critical) Fill with cheesecake batter and bake as directed above.

CHOCOLATE TRUFFLE RASPBERRY CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• In a large bowl, combine cookie crumbs and butter. Press onto the bottom and 1 in. up the sides of a greased 9-in. springform pan; set aside. , In a large bowl, beat cream cheese and sugar until smooth. Beat in the melted chips, cream and vanilla. Add eggs; beat on low speed just until combined. Pour into crust. Drop jam by teaspoonfuls onto filling; swirl with a knife. Place pan on a baking sheet. , Bake at 325° for 45-50 minutes or until center is almost set. Cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Carefully run a knife around edge of pan to loosen; cool 1 hour longer., For truffle layer, in a small heavy saucepan, combine cream and sugar. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly. Remove from the heat; stir in chips and jam until smooth. Transfer to a bowl; refrigerate for about 1 hour or until slightly set. Beat for 1-2 minutes or until light and fluffy. Gently spread over cheesecake. Refrigerate overnight., Garnish with raspberries and 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.