Easy and so good for holidays, weddings, or whatever the occasion!
- Carbohydrate 2.35513833510821 g
- Cholesterol 0.204166666666667 mg
- Fat 0.0449691666666667 g
- Fiber 0 g
- Protein 0.169000416666667 g
- Saturated Fat 0.0279795833333333 g
- Serving Size 1 1 mini cheesecake (7g)
- Sodium 5.36725 mg
- Sugar 2.35513833510821 g
- Trans Fat 0.002328375 g
- Calories 10 calories
Step-by-step
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line miniature muffin tins (tassie pans) with miniature paper liners.
- Crush the vanilla wafers, and place 1/2 teaspoon of the crushed vanilla wafers into each paper cup.
- In a mixing bowl, beat cream cheese, sugar, eggs and vanilla until light and fluffy. Fill each miniature muffin liner with this mixture, almost to the top.
- Bake for 15 minutes. Cool. Top with a teaspoonful of cherry pie filling.
Swapping vanilla wafers for crushed chocolate cookies fundamentally alters the base by introducing bitter cocoa notes that contrast sharply with the sweet dairy filling. Understanding the underlying chemistry helps yield a superior result; lactic acid in the cream cheese reacts with sucrose and heat to create a dense, smooth crumb, while whole eggs supply proteins that coagulate at 150 degrees Fahrenheit to set the structure.
- Beat the cream cheese and sugar for a full three minutes before adding the eggs to prevent incorporation of excess air that causes surface cracking.
- Line miniature muffin tins with paper liners to ensure clean release after baking.
- Bake the portions at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for exactly 15 minutes until the centers are just set.
- Store baked portions in an airtight container for up to three months in the freezer without the fruit topping.
- Thaw frozen cheesecakes in the refrigerator overnight before adding the cherry pie filling.
Proper cooling prevents moisture condensation on the surface. Chilling the baked goods for at least two hours firms the fat matrix for clean slicing and topping application.
