Description
These mini cheesecakes feature a buttery digestive biscuit or graham cracker base topped with a smooth, tangy cream cheese filling baked to perfection. Finished with light Chantilly cream and fresh berries, they make an elegant and delicious treat perfect for any occasion.
Ingredients
Scale
Base
- 150g / 5 oz digestive biscuits (10 pieces) or Graham Crackers (20 squares)
- 60g / 4 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
- 1 tbsp caster sugar (superfine sugar)
- 1/8 tsp cinnamon powder (optional)
- Pinch of salt
Filling
- 375g / 12 oz cream cheese (block), at room temperature
- 1 1/2 tbsp plain / all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup sour cream or plain yogurt, room temperature
- 1/2 cup caster sugar (superfine sugar)
- 1 1/2 tsp lemon zest (from 1 lemon)
- Pinch of salt
- 2 large eggs, at room temperature
Chantilly Cream
- 1 1/2 cups thickened / heavy cream
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 15g / 2 tbsp icing sugar / powdered sugar, sifted (or 1 tbsp caster sugar)
To Decorate
- Strawberries (small), blueberries and raspberries
- 12 small sprigs of mint
- Icing sugar / powdered sugar, for dusting
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 160°C / 325°F (140°C fan) positioning the rack 1/3 from the bottom. Line a 12-hole standard muffin tin with paper muffin liners to prepare for baking.
- Prepare Base Crumbs: Break the digestive biscuits or graham crackers into pieces by hand, then blitz them in a food processor for about 10 seconds until fine crumbs resemble wet sand texture. Add melted butter, caster sugar, cinnamon powder (optional), and a pinch of salt, blitz again until combined.
- Form Crust: Divide the crumb mixture evenly among the muffin liners, pressing firmly with a flat, round object like a 1/3 cup measure to flatten and compact the base evenly in each hole.
- Bake Bases: Bake the crust bases in the preheated oven for 7 minutes. Once done, remove and let them cool for 5 minutes to set before adding the filling.
- Make Filling: Using an electric mixer, beat cream cheese on medium speed just until smooth, around 10 seconds. Add flour, vanilla extract, sour cream, caster sugar, lemon zest, and a pinch of salt, mixing on medium speed just until combined, about 10 seconds. Beat in eggs one at a time until fully incorporated, creating a thick, smooth batter akin to pancake batter consistency.
- Fill and Bake: Pour the filling evenly into each muffin liner, filling close to 3mm below the rim, as the cheesecake will not rise much. Bake for 20 minutes until the filling is set but still slightly jiggly in the center.
- Cool and Chill: Remove mini cheesecakes from oven and cool in the tin on the countertop for 1 hour. Then cover with parchment paper and loosely cover with cling wrap. Refrigerate for at least 6 hours, preferably overnight, until the cheesecakes are firm and liners peel off cleanly.
- Prepare Chantilly Cream: Before serving, place heavy cream, vanilla extract, and sifted icing sugar in a bowl. Beat on high speed until thick enough to pipe or dollop.
- Decorate and Serve: Remove cheesecakes from fridge 30 minutes prior to serving to take off some chill for better flavor and texture. Pipe or dollop Chantilly cream on top, garnish with fresh strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, and mint sprigs. Dust lightly with icing sugar and serve proudly.
Notes
- Note 1: Digestive biscuits or graham crackers can be substituted with other similar plain sweet biscuits.
- Note 2: Using room temperature cream cheese ensures a smooth filling without lumps.
- Note 3: Eggs at room temperature help incorporate air for better texture.
- Note 4: Blitzing the biscuits properly is key to achieving the right crumb texture for a stable crust.
- Note 5: Avoid overbeating the cream cheese mixture to prevent cracking during baking.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 27 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Keywords: mini cheesecakes, dessert, baked cheesecake, individual cheesecakes, easy cheesecake recipe, creamy dessert, mini dessert cups
