Individual Mini Cheesecakes

Total Time: 2 hrs 30 mins Preparation Time: 1 hr Cook Time: 1 hr 30 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 3
• 2 cups frozen raspberries, thawed but not drained
• 1/4 cup sugar
• butter (for baking) or margarine, for greasing cans (for baking)
• 1/2 cup chocolate wafer, crushed (10 cookies)
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 2 tablespoons butter, melted
• 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, room temperature
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 egg yolk
• 2 teaspoons water
• 1 tablespoon whipping cream
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/4 cup whipping cream, plus
• 2 tablespoons whipping cream
• 5 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
• fresh raspberry, garnish

Recipe

• 1 place a fine sieve over a small saucepan and press the thawed raspberries and juices through it, extracting as much liquid as possible. stir in sugar. bring mixture to a boil over medium high heat, stirring constantly until sugar dissolves. boil liquid, stirring constantly,until mixture is reduced to 3 tablespoons (20 minutes). remove from heat and set aside, cooling completely.
• 2 preheat oven to 325-degrees f. grease inside of cans with butter. place cans on parchment paper, tracing circles to fit inside cans. line bottom of cans with paper circles. place cans on cookie sheet and set aside.
• 3 place the crushed cookies and sugar in a small bowl and mix with a fork. add melted butter to crumbs and stir with fork unil crumbs are moistened. spoon crumb mixture into cans, dividing evenly among the three cans, pressing down with fingers. bake for 10 minutes. remove from oven but keep oven on.
• 4 place cream cheese and sugar in mixing bowl and beat with electic mixer on medium speed for 45 seconds or until mixture is creamy. add egg, yolk and water, reduce mixer speed to low and beat until combined (20 seconds). beat in the prepared raspberry reduction (the raspberries that were boiled down and set aside), cream and vanilla (15 seconds) until blended. spoon batter into cans, dividing evenly among the three cans. return to oven and bake until set (25-30 minutes). remove from oven and transfer cheese cakes to cooling rack. cool completley in cans. cover and refrigerate 6 hours or overnight to cool completely.
• 5 the next day- pour cream (1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons) into saucepan and bring to a boil over medium high heat. remove from heat and add chocolate, swirling to incorrporate chocolate into cream. let stand one minute. stir with a whisk until chocolate is completely melted and mixture is smooth. use immediately.
• 6 to serve - run a knife around the insides of the cans to loosen cheesecakes. turn cakes out and remove paper circles, placing cakes upright on cooling rack. spoon chocolate sauce over cheesecakes, using a spatula or knife to smooth it over top and sides of cakes. arrange a few raspberries on each cake, if desired. refrigerate until firm (20 minutes or up to 4 days). transfer cakes to individual dessert plates.