Recipe of the Week: Lemon Heaven Mini Cheesecakes

Lemon Heavens are the perfect mix of sinfully delicious melt in your mouth cheesecake, with a hint of smooth white chocolate, and just enough citrus to tickle the tongue! Topped with white chocolate curls and arranged on a elegant cake stand, makes this presentation a winner for any party. And their mini size allows for easy handling so guests are free to grab one or two, while still being able to socialize. But don’t let there size foul you, from the first bite to the last these lemon sensations will tantalize your taste buds, leaving you more then satisfied.

Ingredients:
crust-
1 cup graham cracker crumbs
3 tbsp butter
2 tbsp sugar

batter-
2 (8oz) cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla
2 eggs
3 squares premium white baking chocolate, melted and cooled slightly
1/4 cup lemon curd mixed into batter
1/3 cup lemon curd warmed to spread on top

Directions:
Preheat oven to 325°F. Mix Crust ingredients, press evenly into bottoms of 12 (2-1/2-inch) paper-lined muffin cups. Bake 7 min.Beat cream cheese, sugar and vanilla in large bowl with electric mixer until well blended. Mix in Batter Flavorings. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing on low speed after each addition just until blended. Stir in Mix-Ins. Spoon batter evenly into prepared cups, filling each two-thirds full. Bake 25 min or until centers are almost set. Cool completely. Warm lemon curd to spread on top. Refrigerate at least 4 hours before serving. Store leftovers in refrigerator.

Pumpkin Swirl Cheesecake

Ingredients:

25 Ginger Snaps, finely crushed (about 1-1/2 cups)

1/2 cup finely chopped pecans

1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter, melted

4 pkg. (8 oz. each) Cream Cheese, softened

1 cup sugar, divided

1 tsp. vanilla

4 eggs

1 cup canned pumpkin

1 tsp. ground cinnamon

1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg

Pinch ground cloves

Directions:
1.Heat oven to 325°F. A silver 9-inch springform pan is best to use. Mix ginger snap crumbs, pecans and butter; press onto bottom and 1 inch up side of pan for the crust

2. Beat softened cream cheese, 3/4 cup of the sugar and the vanilla with electric mixer until well blended. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing on low speed after each addition just until blended. Remove 1-1/2 cups of the batter; place in small bowl.

3. Stir remaining 1/4 cup sugar, the pumpkin and spices into remaining cream cheese batter. Spoon half of this pumpkin batter into crust; top with spoonfuls of half of the reserved plain batter. Repeat layers.

4.Cut through batters with knife several times for marble effect.

5. Bake for 5 min. to 1 hour 5 min. or until center is almost set. (Test by gently shaking the pan. If the cheesecake is done, it will be set except for an approximately 2-1/2-inch area in the center that will be soft and jiggly.)

6. Cool for a least an hour. Run knife or metal spatula around rim of pan to loosen cake. Refrigerate at least 4 hours before serving. Store leftovers in refrigerator

Individual Lemon Cheesecakes

Happy belated Cinco de Mayo everyone! enjoy this cool treat:

Ingredients:
1 8oz package cream cheese
1/2 cup sugar
3 tablespoons lemon curd
6 mini graham cracker crusts (recommended keebler)
Whipped topping (recommended cool whip)
Sugared lemon slices for garnish

Directions:
In a medium mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese and sugar with an electric mixer until creamy. Beat in the lemon curd on low speed until just combined.

Spoon the mixture into the graham cracker crusts. Place on a small baking sheet in the freezer for 10 minutes or more. Serve with a dollop of whipped topping and 1/4 of a slice of lemon that has been sprinkled with sugar.

Rating:
If you like lemons you will LOVE this creamy dessert. Perfect for parties, easy to make, and clean up was fast. You can easily substitute the lemon curd for lime, raspberry or blueberry curd, or even chocolate! Got great reviews from family members (especially those who are big lemon fans) and I was also asked to make them again for an upcoming family get together.

Mini cheesecakes w. vanilla waffer crust

Ingredients:
1 (12 ounce) package vanilla wafers
2 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese
3/4 cup white sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 (21 ounce) can cherry pie filling

Directions:
1.Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line miniature muffin tins (tassie pans) with miniature paper liners.
2.Crush the vanilla wafers, and place 1/2 teaspoon of the crushed vanilla wafers into each paper cup.
3.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.
4.Bake for 15 minutes. Cool. Top with a teaspoonful of cherry pie filling or leave them plain.

Comments/ratings:(10/10)-yummy in my tummy! so creamy and just the right size. Great for parties :)