Mini-desserts are an easy easier way to battle the mega-calories that a "big honking cheesecake" in the fridge tempts us with.
Picky-picky husband LOVES all things maple, so I've been searching for a good maple cheesecake recipe for a long time. This one is a mixture of several recipes that I've tried.....combined with my own personal tweaks. Not only is it sweet, smooth-to-the-tongue and maple-y, but they do not sink (or crack) in the middle.....I call that perfection!!!
Recipe makes 10 mini cheesecakes
1/2 cup graham cracker crumbs
1/4 cup chopped pecans
1 level tablespoon brown sugar
1 level tablespoon brown sugar
1 tablespoon maple syrup (the real stuff not pancake syrup)
1 tablespoon melted butter
1 tablespoon melted butter
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Put the crumbs + pecans + brown sugar into a food processor and pulse until you get fine crumbs. Stir in the rest of ingredients (by hand).
Put FOIL cupcake liners into a cupcake pan and put a slightly heaping tablespoon of the crumb mixture into each liner and tamp it down.
*If you are using paper liners, give them a mini-spritz of cooking spray, but not too much.
CHEESECAKE FILLING
8 ounces cream cheese (room temperature)
1/3 cup REAL maple syrup (room temperature)
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon maple extract
1 egg (room temperature)(well beaten)
2 level tablespoons flour
Beat the cream cheese + sugar for 2 minutes with electric mixer. After 2 minutes (and while the mixer is still running) drizzle in the maple syrup (scrape the sides of the bowl down if necessary).
Beat in the egg + extracts + flour (just until smooth).
Fill cupcake liners about 3/4 full. Bake at 275F for 30 minutes.
Cool to room temperature, then chill for 2-3 hours before serving.
NOTE: If you use room temperature egg and syrup, these take 30 minutes to bake. If you are using cold egg and syrup, it takes closer to 35 minutes to bake.
Cool to room temperature, then chill for 2-3 hours before serving.
NOTE: If you use room temperature egg and syrup, these take 30 minutes to bake. If you are using cold egg and syrup, it takes closer to 35 minutes to bake.
NOTE: I've never used artificial pancake syrup in these little cheesecakes, so I can't tell you if that will work or not, although I'm guessing it would (it just wouldn't taste as good).
ENJOY !!!
