Creamy Swirls and Chocolate Winners!

I made these Raspberry Swirl Mini Cheesecakes from Martha's Cupcakes for Valentine's Day. Actually I made them prior to that and I intended to post them for the day of love but we were in DC and then I was having computer troubles and well, I'm just now getting to them. But, they'd make an excellent addition to your Easter buffet, so as far as I'm concerned I shared these just in time.

Now I've made a few other cupcakes from Martha's new book and I have to say these were one of my favorites. They were so creamy and smooth and creamy! Did I mention they were creamy? Well they are because they're baked in a water bath. These cheesecakes really were perfect- a sturdy crust and creamy filling (there I go again!) and just the right amount of fruit. If you're lucky you'll get a pool of puree in the cheesecake. That makes for a nice surprise.

I actually quartered the recipe and made 8 mini cheesecakes instead of 32 because it was just for Mr. h and I. I have posted the recipes for the full amount and the quartered recipe I used below. At first I thought that 8 was too many but then I figured we'd be sharing them so it wasn't so bad. Except that I ATE ALL OF THEM!

Yeah, you read that right. I ate them all by myself over the course of a week. I offered them to Mr. H and he had a bite but cheesecake and raspberries really aren't his thing. He said they were good and were much better than he thought but opted for something chocolate instead. Fine by me! I actually ate a couple of these in the car on the way to work. They're mini and the perfect one handed treat. Make them and see for yourself :-)

Raspberry Swirl Mini Cheesecakes from Martha's Cupcakes

Graham Crust:

• 1 1/2 cups finely ground graham crackers (about 12 sheets; use a mini chopper or food processor)
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
• 3 tablespoons sugar

Raspberry Puree:

• 1 container (6 ounces) fresh raspberries
• 2 tablespoons sugar

Cheesecake:

• 2 pounds (32 oz.) cream cheese, room temperature
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• Pinch of salt
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 4 large eggs, room temperature

Preheat oven to 325°F.

Line standard muffin tins with paper liners. Stir together ground graham crackers, butter, and 3 tablespoons sugar. Press 1 tablespoon crust mixture firmly into bottom of each lined cup. Bake until set, about 5 minutes. Transfer tins to a wire rack to cool.

Process raspberries in a food processor until smooth, about 30 seconds. Pass puree through a fine sieve into a small bowl, pressing with a flexible spatula to remove as much liquid as possible; discard solids. Whisk in 2 tablespoons sugar.

With an electric mixer on medium-high speed, beat cream cheese until fluffy, scraping down sides of bowl as needed. With mixer on low speed, add remaining 1 1/2 cups sugar in a steady stream. Add salt and vanilla; mix until well combined. Add eggs, one at a time, beating until just combined after each.

Spoon 3 tablespoons filling over crust in each cup. Dollop 1/2 teaspoon raspberry puree in a few dots over each. With a wooden skewer or toothpick, swirl sauce into filling. Place each tin in a roasting pan (bake in batches, if necessary); pour enough hot water into pan to come three-quarters of the way up sides of cups.

Bake, rotating pans halfway through, until filling is set, about 22 minutes. Carefully remove tins from water bath and transfer to wire racks to cool completely. Refrigerate (in tins) at least 4 hours (or out of tins up to 5 days in airtight containers). Remove from tins just before serving.

Makes 32 mini cheesecakes.

Raspberry Swirl Mini Cheesecakes

*(1/4 recipe)*

Graham Crust:

• 2 1/4 tsp. sugar
• 1/4 cup + 2 Tbsp. graham cracker crumbs
• 2 1/4 tsp. butter, melted

Raspberry Puree:

• 1 1/2 oz. raspberries
• 1 1/2 tsp. sugar

Cheesecake:

• 8 oz. cream cheese
• 1/4 cup + 2 Tbsp. sugar
• pinch of salt
• 1/4 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1 large egg

Follow instructions as listed above but use these amounts.

Makes 8 mini cheesecakes.

Oh yum!

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And now onto the winners of the chocolate giveaway... Two great lovers of chocolate.

• #8- Memoria of Mangio da Sola
• #58- Dawn of Vanilla Sugar

Both were slected at random by my husband in the other room :-)

Ladies send me your addresses and I'll get them out to you!