Mini German Cheesecakes With Apricot Compote Food

MINI GERMAN CHEESECAKES WITH APRICOT COMPOTE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a muffin tin with 12 paper muffin liners.
• Beat together ricotta, sour cream, whipping cream and sugar with a hand mixer. Add the vanilla and orange zest to ricotta mixture then beat in eggs 1 at a time.
• Spoon the mixture equally between the 12 liners. Bake 25-35 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center of one of the cakes comes out clean.
• Cool on a rack, then refrigerate for at least 1 hour before removing paper liners.
• Meawhile, heat the preserves & apple juice in a small sauce pan. Simmer for 3-5 minutes.
• Invert each cheesecake on a gingerbread cookie, and spread on the warm apricot compote.

MINI CHEESECAKES WITH APRICOT JAM

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line standard muffin tins with paper liners. Mix cookies and 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon sugar in a bowl. Stir in butter. Press 1 tablespoon of mixture in bottom of each cup. Bake until set, about 7 minutes. Let cool in tins on wire racks.
• Reduce oven temperature to 275 degrees. Beat cream cheese with a mixer on medium speed until smooth. Add remaining 1/2 cup sugar, then vanilla. With mixer running, add eggs slowly, scraping down side of bowl. Add sour cream and salt. Pour batter into muffin cups, filling almost to the tops.
• Bake until sides are set but centers are wobbly, about 20 minutes. Let cool in tins on wire racks. Wrap tins tightly with plastic, and refrigerate 4 hours or overnight.
• Warm jam in a small saucepan until liquidy. Strain through a sieve. Spoon 1 teaspoon jam on top of each cake.

MINI CHOCOLATE CHEESECAKES

Steps:

• Heat oven to 150C/130C fan/gas 2. Line the holes of a muffin tin with 12 paper muffin cases. Put the biscuits in a food bag and bash to small crumbs with the end of a rolling pin. Tip into a bowl, stir in the melted butter until the crumbs are nicely coated, then spoon between the paper cases. Press down into the bottoms to make a firm base.
• To make the filling, put the ricotta, eggs, vanilla and melted chocolate in a large mixing bowl. Sift in the icing sugar. Beat everything together with an electric whisk or a wooden spoon until very well combined. Spoon into the paper cases right up to the tops, then tap the whole tin on the bench to get rid of any air bubbles. Bake for 30 mins, then remove from the oven and gently push 3 mini eggs into the top of each cheesecake. Let the cheesecakes cool completely before serving. Can be kept in the fridge for up to 3 days.