Want a Beautiful and Simple Mini Cheesecake Dessert?
Want a Beautiful and Simple Mini Cheesecake Dessert? These adorable Mini Vanilla Bean Cheesecakes Topped With Chocolate Ganache And Fresh Red Raspberries were made in a nonstick mini cheesecake pan from NORPRO. I purchased two of these pans online. They have been in the cupboard for awhile. Hate to admit it, but they have only been used once before.
As the weather here starts heading toward below freezing and snow begins, my desire to go outside is lessened. My Mustang does not do well in snow. I won't be driving anywhere unless I have an obligation. Winter weather increases my desire to cook and bake. For some time, I have been wanting to use these little cheesecake pans. So the other morning I set the cream cheese out on the counter to soften.
As you can see in the picture, the bottom is removable. It is just a little disc. I was really pleasantly surprised how easily the little cheesecakes came out of the pan! There was virtually no sticking!
Just pushing the disc up from the bottom, they came out perfectly, and the disc released easily, too. I need to use these more often!
Imagine little quiches, tartlets, muffins, or even hors d'oeuvres. The shape of these is so perfect!
Mini Vanilla Bean Cheesecakes Topped With Chocolate Ganache
And Fresh Red Raspberries
Preheat oven to 350°
Crust:
1 cup vanilla wafer crumbs
2 Tblsp. sugar
1 pinch of salt
2 Tblsp. unsalted butter, melted
Lightly coat the tins with non-stick cooking spray. Mix the vanilla wafer crumbs, the sugar and the salt together well. Add the melted butter. Put 2 heaping teaspoons of the mixture into each of the little tins. Press down firmly with a wooden mini tart shaper, (mine is from Pampered Chef), or a shot glass works well, too.
Bake the little crusts for about 10 minutes in the 350° oven. Remove and cool on a baking rack while you prepare the cheesecake.
Turn the oven down to 300°.
Tip*** Forgot to set the block of cream cheese out to soften?
Don't worry!
To soften cream cheese, completely unwrap the package
of cream cheese and place in a glass bowl. Microwave on high for 10 seconds just until softened.
Cheesecake:
2-8 ounce blocks of softened Cream Cheese
2 eggs
1/2 cup sugar
1 pinch of salt
1/4 cup of heavy cream
Seeds scraped from 1 vanilla bean (or 1-1/2 tsp. vanilla extract if you don't have a vanilla bean.)
In a mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese until smooth and creamy. Add the sugar, the salt, and completely mix.
Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each. Mix in the heavy cream and the seeds from the vanilla bean.
Pour the batter on top of the crusts and fill to the top. (I was afraid the filling would spill over the top, but it did not. They looked perfect! There is a little excess batter.)
Bake for 20 minutes in the 300° oven.
Remove from the oven and cool on wire baking rack.
Remove each from the pan and place in a covered platter or dish. Chill for two hours.
Ganache:
1/2 cup of heavy cream
1 cup of semi-sweet chocolate chips
Melt the chocolate and the heavy cream in a saucepan over low heat. Stir until smooth with no lumps. Pour into a glass bowl and let cool a little.
Stir and spoon on top of the little cheesecakes or using a pastry bag and a medium round tip, pipe a large chocolate dot. (I piped the ganache onto the tops of the ones I made. It was easier to control.)
Garnish with the red raspberries.
Dave actually said he prefers these to the mini-cherry cheesecakes! It looks like the Mini Vanilla Bean Cheesecakes Topped With Chocolate Ganache And Fresh Red Raspberries will be another much-requested recipe.
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