No Bake Cheesecake Mini Fruit Tarts Food

MINI NO-BAKE CHEESECAKES

Steps:

• Line two standard 12-count muffin pans with cupcake liners. Make sure you have room in your refrigerator for both pans. (You refrigerate them in step 6.)
• If your graham crackers aren't crumbs yet, use a food processor to pulse them into fine crumbs. Pour crumbs into a medium bowl and stir in the brown sugar and melted butter until combined. Mixture will have the consistency of wet sand. Spoon 1 and 1/2 Tablespoons of the crust mixture into each muffin liner and use the back of the spoon to pack it down tightly.
• The next step is optional. Though it's not required, I recommend baking the crusts for a quick 5 minutes in a 350°F (177°C) oven. The crusts are a little sturdier this way. However, if you can't use an oven or simply don't want to, you can skip this step. The crust will just be a bit crumblier. If baking, let the warm crusts cool for 10 minutes before adding the filling on top.
• Using a hand mixer or a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, whip the cold heavy cream into stiff peaks on medium-high speed, about 3 minutes. Set aside. Using a hand mixer or a stand mixer fitted with a whisk or paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese and granulated sugar together on medium speed until smooth and creamy. Scrape down the sides and up the bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula as needed. Add the sour cream, lemon juice, and vanilla extract. Beat on medium-high speed until smooth and combined, about 1 minute. Make sure there are no large lumps of cream cheese. If there are lumps, keep beating until smooth. Using your mixer on low speed or a rubber spatula, fold the whipped cream into the cheesecake filling until combined. This takes several turns of your rubber spatula. Combine slowly as you don't want to deflate all the air in the whipped cream.
• You can use a spoon or piping bag to transfer the filling on top of the crusts. Spoon or pipe about 2 Tablespoons of filling over each crust. I prefer piping the filling because it's a little easier and neater. Fit your piping bag with a large star or round piping tip, then transfer the filling to the bag and pipe. (You could also use a plastic zipped-top bag. Spoon the filling inside, snip an end off a corner, and pipe.) Use the back of a spoon to smooth the tops so they are flat.
• Refrigerate the mini cheesecakes in the pans for at least 3 hours and up to 2 days. If refrigerating for longer than 3 hours, I recommend covering with aluminum foil or plastic wrap.
• Keep refrigerated until ready to serve. Serve with optional toppings (see recipe Note). The cheesecakes begin to soften and stick to the liners after about 30-60 minutes at room temperature.
• Cover and store leftover mini cheesecakes in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

NO-BAKE FRUIT TART

Steps:

• Place the cream cheese, cream, confectioners' sugar and vanilla in a large bowl. Use an electric mixer to beat until very stiff peaks form and the filling smooths out (initially, it may be a little lumpy from the cold cream cheese, but if you keep beating, it will smooth out). You want the filling to really thicken up. (If your cream cheese was at room temperature, it won't get thick and that's fine -- it will set beautifully while in the refrigerator.)
• Spread the filling evenly into your crust. Slice the larger fruit and halve some of the cherries and strawberries to expose the insides. Arrange on top of the tart.
• Microwave the jelly or jam, if using, in a small microwave-safe bowl just until it becomes more liquid. Brush it all over the top of the fruit. (This will help "preserve" the tart while it's in the fridge.)
• Refrigerate until ready to serve! It will be fine in the fridge for up to two days. Serve cold!

NO BAKE CHEESECAKE MINI FRUIT TARTS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
• Unfold phyllo and keeping sheets covered with a damp paper towel while not using, lay one sheet of phyllo dough out on a cutting board, brush lightly with melted butter. Then carefully lay another sheet of dough over the first and repeat with butter and dough until you reach the desired thickness, 4-6 sheets thick, ending with a layer of butter. Roll unused phyllo sheets back up, place in an airtight bag and refrigerate for up to 1 week. Or refreeze for up to 2 months.
• With a sharp knife cut into twelve 3" squares. and push into mini muffin tins, butter side down. Continue until all 24 cavities are filled.
• Bake for 10 minutes or until the phyllo is golden brown. Remove from pan and cool completely on wire racks while you prepare the filling.
• In a large bowl, beat cream cheese and granulated sugar with an electric mixer until smooth. Add confectioners sugar, lime juice and zest, vanilla extract, salt and cold heavy cream and beat on low until smooth. Then increase speed to high and beat until thick and fluffy stiff peaks form. Either use immediately or cover tightly and refrigerate until ready to assemble.
• To serve place a generous dollop of no bake lime cheesecake filling on top of each mini tart shell, top with a few tablespoons of fruit and dust with additional powdered sugar, if desired. Serve immediately or refrigerate filled tart shells several hours before topping and serving.

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.