Almond Joy Cheesecakes

This past weekend I made 120 cupcakes and a mini 6 inch cake for a wedding, and two weeks ago I made a 3 tier lemon coconut cake for a wedding.  So October has been busy.  My next cake with be for my little ones FIRST birthday. What? First birthday already! Where did this year go?  I cannot believe in it less than a month it will be here.  I have sent out the invites but now I need to start planning decorations, food, loot bags.. am I missing anything?

Lemon Coconut Cake

How overboard do you go on a First birthday that they won't remember and is really just for the parents and family. I am really planning this party for me so I can show her the theme and what we did.  I want it to be fun for the kids and the adults.  Of course the hubby has already asked me my party budget.   A question he always now asks given my history with my over the top Christmas parties and the amount I tend to spend of food.   I told him I will keep it reasonable. (wink,wink)

I am looking for your tips.  Please let me know any good games or cool things you can recommend that involve the adults while the kids play?  

The wedding coconut cake left me with quite a bit of leftover coconut to use up.  My neighbour has asked for some macaroons but that still won't use it all.  Canadian Thanksgiving was a few weeks back so I decided to put together these perfect little chocolate coconut packages.  An almond coconut crust with a layer of chocolate topped with coconut cheesecake followed by more chocolate and more coconut.   Basically coconut heaven!

Almond Joy Cheesecakes

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 1/2 cups ground almonds
• 1/2 cup vanilla cookie crumbs
• 1/3 cup light brown sugar
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
• 2 - 8 oz cream cheese packages, room temp
• 2 large eggs
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 cup + extra for topping. sweetened flaked coconut
• 12 oz dark chocolate

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Preheat the oven to 350F.
2. In a small processor, add 1 cup of the flaked coconut and pulse to make more fine.
3. In a medium bowl combine almonds, cookie crumbs, 1/2 cup of the processed coconut and brown sugar. Add butter and mix together to moistened all crumbs.
4. Press about 1/4 cup into each hole and press down. Bake for about 10 minutes.
5. Melt 6 oz of the dark chocolate over a double boiler. After you have removed the crusts from the oven, top each crust with a heaping tablespoon of melted chocolate spreading to cover the crust.
6. Add cream cheese, processed coconut and granulated sugar into a food processor. Run until smooth.
7. Add eggs and vanilla, pulse until incorporated.
8. Stir in remaining flaked coconut.
9. Spread the batter (about 1/4-1/3 cup) over the chocolate.
10. Bake at 300F for 20-25 minutes.
11. Let cool for at least an hour before adding the second round of chocolate.
12. Melt remaining chocolate and pour over the cheesecakes. Top with some additional coconut.