Make Ahead
Mini Red Velvet Cheesecakes
Prep Time: 20 Minutes Start to Finish: 3 Hours 16 mini cheesecakes
- 24 thin chocolate wafer cookies, crushed (1¼ cups)
- 3 tablespoons butter, melted
- 2 packages (8 oz each) plus 4 oz cream cheese, softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- ¼ cup unsweetened baking cocoa
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- 2 tablespoons red food color
- 3 eggs
- ½ cup whipping cream
- 1 tablespoon granulated or powdered sugar
- Chocolate curls, if desired
1 Heat oven to 350°F. Place foil baking cup in each of 16 regular-size muffin cups. Mix cookie crumbs and butter; divide evenly among muffin cups. Using back of spoon, firmly press mixture in bottoms of baking cups.
2 In large bowl, beat cream cheese with electric mixer on medium speed until smooth. Gradually beat in 1 cup granulated sugar and the cocoa until fluffy. Beat in vanilla and food color. Beat in eggs, one at a time, until well blended. Divide batter evenly among baking cups (cups will be almost full).
3 Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until centers are firm. Cool 15 minutes (centers will sink). Remove from pans. Refrigerate at least 1 hour. Cover; refrigerate at least 1 hour longer.
4 In chilled small bowl, beat whipping cream and 1 tablespoon sugar with electric mixer on high speed until stiff peaks form. Just before serving, peel off baking cups. Top cheesecakes with whipped cream and chocolate curls. Store cheesecakes in a deep plastic or glass storage container with lid in the refrigerator.
1 Mini Cheesecake: Calories 290; Total Fat 19g (Saturated Fat 11g, Trans Fat 0.5g); Cholesterol 95mg; Sodium 210mg; Total Carbohydrate 23g (Dietary Fiber 0g); Protein 4g Exchanges: ½ Starch, ½ Other Carbohydrate, ½ Milk, 3 Fat Carbohydrate Choices: 1½
Make-Ahead Magic These little cheesecakes freeze beautifully! Wrap tightly and freeze up to 5 months. Thaw in the original wrapping in the refrigerator 2 to 4 hours.
Kitchen Secrets To make chocolate curls, place a bar or block of chocolate on waxed paper. Press a vegetable peeler firmly against the chocolate and pull toward you in long, thin strokes. Small curls can be made by using the side of the chocolate bar. Transfer each curl carefully with a toothpick to a waxed paper–lined cookie sheet or directly onto cheesecake.