I finally caved and made the cheesecakes

It's is nice to get back into blogging after my vacation hiatus.  I am also trying to catch up all the wonderful things I missed out there in the blogging world.  I had to go back and make a lot of bookmarks.
Remember when I made the No Bake Strawberry Cheesecake a few weeks back to ward off my friend Jeff and his constant harassment for the mini cheesecakes.  Well,  It didn't work.  He still kept asking and asking and asking.   Since I happen to be such a nice person I didn't want to disappoint him.  I baked them for his birthday last year so I decided I would the same this year.  I am a rather big cheesecake fan myself.  If done well cheesecake is creamy,  silky and smooth with so many possible variations.   I decided to do a blackberry cheesecake and a chocolate peanut butter cheesecake.  Both equally tempting and delicious.   To throw him off that morning, we hid the cheesecakes until we all cornered him at his desk and sang Happy Birthday.  A little embarrassment is what you get after months of pestering.    Do you think that will keep him quite for 12 months. Probably not.  :-)

Mini Cheesecakes

INGREDIENTS:

Blackberry Base:

• 1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
• 1/4 cup butter melted
• 2 tbsp granulated sugar

Oreo Base

• 1 1/2 cups Oreo crumbs
• 1/4 cup butter, melted
• 2 tbsp granulated sugar

Filling:

• 20 oz (2 1/2 packages) cream cheese, softened
• 2 eggs
• 2/3 cup granulated sugar
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup sour cream

Extras:

• 2 oz bittersweet chocolate
• 3 tbsp peanut butter
• 3/4 cup blackberries
• 2 tbsp granulated sugar
• 6 mini peanut butter cups

INSTRUCTIONS:

1) Preheat the oven to 350F. 

2) Combine the graham crackers, sugar and butter in a bowl with a spatula.  Moistening all the crumbs.  Press 1/4 cup of the mixture into a mini cheesecake pan.   Repeat with the Oreo crumbs in another pan.  You should have 6 of each. 

3) Bake for 10 minutes and let cool. 

4) Melt the chocolate and peanut butter in a small boil over a double boiler.  Set aside to cool. Combine the blackberries, sugar and 1/4 cup water in a small sauce pan.  Heat over medium heat until berries are broken down and thickened. 

5) Put the softened cream cheese into a food processor and run until smooth. 

6) Add sugar, vanilla and eggs, process until creamy, add sour cream and run once more to combine.

7) Separate the mixture into two equal portions.   Add the peanut butter chocolate mixture to one half and half the blackberry mixture to the other portion.   Split the mixture equally between the 12 cups, with the blackberry mixture on the graham crackers and the peanut butter chocolate on the Oreo crumbs.   I added a mini peanut butter cup to the Oreo crust before adding the filling.

8) Preheat the oven to 400F. Place the cheesecakes in the oven and reduce to 300F

9) Bake for 20-22 minutes.  The middle of the cheesecakes will be just set.

These are a great dessert for individuals,  allowing people to have some options.   I increased the recipe slightly for the filling from what I actually used as I found it wasn't quite enough filling.  If you want these even taller, increase to a full 21oz of cream cheese, use 3 eggs and increase sugar to 3/4 cup.

MEG's RATING: D-EEEEE-LICIOUS!

Chocolate peanut butter cheesecakes

Blackberry cheesecakes