Mini Red Velvet Brownie Cheesecakes Food

MINI RED VELVET CHEESECAKES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C). Line two 12-count muffin pans with cupcake liners. Set aside.
• toss the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt together in a large bowl. Set aside.
• Using a handheld or stand mixer with a paddle attachment, beat the butter on high speed until creamy, about 1 minute. Scrape down the sides and the bottom of the bowl as needed. Switch the mixer to medium speed and beat in the brown sugar and granulated sugar until combined. Beat in the egg, milk, and vanilla extract, scraping down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed. Once mixed, add the food coloring and beat until combined. Turn the mixer off and pour the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients. Turn the mixer on low and slowly beat until a very soft dough is formed. Beat in more food coloring if you'd like the dough to be redder. The dough will be sticky.
• Press 1 scant Tablespoon of cookie dough into the bottom of each cupcake liner. I say "scant" because otherwise you won't have enough to make 22-24 mini cheesecakes. Bake each batch for 8 minutes to pre-bake the crust before layering the cheesecake on top.
• using a handheld or stand mixer with a paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese on medium-high until completely smooth. Add the yogurt and sugar, beating on high until combined. Add the egg and vanilla and beat on medium until combined. Try not to overbeat, which will cause cheesecake cracks. Gently fold in the chocolate chips. Dollop 1 Tablespoon of cheesecake batter on top of the pre-baked cookie, spreading it to make sure it completely covers the cookie.
• Return the mini cheesecakes to the oven and continue to bake for about 20 more minutes, making sure the tops of the cheesecake does not get too brown. The cups are done in the oven when the cheesecake topping no longer jiggles when you shake the pan. Cover the cups with aluminum foil if the tops are getting too brown too soon. Allow to cool for 30 minutes on the counter, then in the refrigerator to set for another 1.5 hours.
• Cookie cups stay fresh covered at room temperature for 12-24 hours, and then must be refrigerated after that for up to 3 more days.
• Cheesecakes can be frozen up to 2 months- thaw overnight in the refrigerator before enjoying.

MINI RED VELVET BROWNIE CHEESECAKES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350F and line a cupcake tin with 12 paper liners.
• In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the sugar and egg vigorously until pale and light (about 1 minute of fast whisking).
• Pour in the melted butter and vanilla. Make sure the butter isn't hot to the touch, but it can still be slightly warm. Whisk to combine.
• Switch to a rubber spatula and mix in the cocoa powder, flour, and salt. Fold the batter until smooth and thick.
• Transfer the batter to a piping bag or a ziplog bag. Snip off the end and pipe about 1 1/2 tbsp sized dollops into each cupcake liner. Don't worry about piping in a perfectly even layer of brownie as we'll smooth them out in the next step. I also recommend holding the liner in place with one hand and piping with the other to prevent the liner from moving as you pipe.
• Next, use the back of a spoon to spread the batter out, just until it touches the edges of the cupcake liner (see picture in post for reference). If you're having trouble with the spoon sticking too much, give it a light spritz of nonstick spray and continue to spread out the batter.
• Bake for 5 minutes, then remove from the oven and drop the temperature to 325F.
• Let the brownies cool for about 5 minutes, then gently press one OREO into the center of each brownie cup.
• In a large mixing bowl, mix together the room temperature cream cheese and sugar using a hand or stand mixer which the paddle attachment.
• Once smooth, scrape down the bowl and add the sour cream, egg, and vanilla. Mix until well combined.
• Scrape down the bowl again and mix in the cocoa powder.
• Finally, mix in the red food coloring starting at a low speed and then gradually work your way up to medium speed. This will prevent the dye from splashing out of the bowl.
• Give the batter one final mix with a rubber spatula to ensure all ingredients are completely mixed together.
• Pour the batter into a piping bag or ziplock bag and snip off the end. Pipe on top of the brownie and OREO base, filling each liner nearly to the top.
• Give the pan a couple taps and shakes to level out the cheesecake.
• Bake for 12 minutes, then turn the oven off and continue to bake for another 5 minutes. The cakes should be puffed with a very slight indent in the center.
• Allow the cupcakes to cool at room temperature for about 30 minutes, then carefully lift them out of the pan onto a wire rack or tray (or anything that will fit in your refrigerator). Let the cheesecakes chill for at least 2 hours or overnight. If you choose to chill overnight, cover to cupcakes to prevent them from drying out.
• In a small mixing bowl, mix together the cream cheese and butter using a hand or stand mixer with the whisk attachment.
• Once combined, mix in the powdered sugar until smooth.
• Pour in the heavy cream and vanilla and whip on high speed until light and fluffy.
• Transfer the whip to a piping bag fitted with a large round tip, or a ziplock bag with a corner snipped off.
• Pipe dollops of the whip on top of each chilled cheesecake and top with a sprinkling of crushed OREO cookies.
• Store in the refrigerator an an air tight container where they will keep for up to 5 days.

RED VELVET CHEESECAKE BROWNIES

Steps:

• Make the cheesecake layer: Preheat the oven to 350˚. Line a 9-by-13-inch baking pan with foil, leaving a 2-inch overhang on the two short sides; coat with cooking spray. Beat the cream cheese, sugar and egg in a medium bowl with a mixer on medium speed until smooth and fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer 1/3 cup of the batter to a small bowl and stir in the cocoa powder and red food coloring until smooth; stir in the buttermilk. Set aside the two batters.
• Make the brownie layer: Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Remove from the heat and let cool slightly. Stir in the sugar, eggs and vanilla until well combined. Stir in the flour, cocoa powder, salt and baking powder until smooth.
• Spread the brownie batter in the prepared pan. Top with small spoonfuls of the plain cheesecake batter so most of the brownie is covered. Spoon the red cheesecake batter all over and gently swirl the cheesecake batters together with a skewer.
• Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center of the brownies comes out clean, 35 to 40 minutes. Transfer to a rack and let cool completely in the pan. Lift out of the pan using the foil overhang. Cut into pieces.

MINI RED VELVET CHEESECAKES

Steps:

• For crust: Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
• Combine the cookie crumbs, butter, light brown sugar and salt in a mixing bowl until sandy. Lightly spray six 3-inch round mini-cheesecake molds with nonstick spray. Portion out 2 tablespoons of crumb crust into each mold and press flat (the lid of the nonstick spray works great here! Just wipe it clean).
• Bake for 8 minutes, then allow to cool while filling is prepared.
• For the custard: Place a cake pan filled with 1 inch of hot water in the lowest rack of the oven. Whip the cream cheese in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment until smooth, for 1 minute. Add the granulated sugar, buttermilk powder, vanilla and salt, and blend on low speed for 1 minute. Use a spatula to scrape the bowl and paddle thoroughly. Blend until completely smooth for an additional 1 to 2 minutes. Whisk the eggs and egg yolks in a bowl until smooth. Add the eggs to the cream cheese in three additions, allowing each addition to combine before adding the next. Give the bowl and paddle another scrape.
• Warm the cream in the microwave until steaming, about 1 minute. Whisk in the cocoa and red food coloring until smooth. With the mixer on low, add the chocolate and cream mixture and blend just until combined. Divide the custard evenly among the 12 molds, filling each to about 1/4-inch from the top.
• Place the cheesecakes on the center oven rack and turn oven down to 300 degrees F. Bake until puffed and slightly wobbly, with an internal temperature of about 160 degrees F, 42 to 48 minutes. Turn off heat and cool in oven for 25 minutes (the cheesecakes will sink slightly upon cooling).
• For the cream cheese whip: Whip cream cheese and confectioners' sugar in a stand mixer until smooth and light, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the cream and vanilla and mix on low until smooth. Scrape bowl and whip on medium-high speed until medium peaks form. Top each cheesecake with a large dollop and sprinkle with chocolate curls.