Tiny little cheesecakes and why they make the world go ‘round

There was this one time (at band camp) I made a cheesecake and ate the whole thing. (No, not in one sitting — Geesh!) This is why I no longer make giant cheesecakes. I make single serving ones to curb my addiction. It’s a shame, really, that I can’t be trusted with a cheesecake, yet my brother trusts me with the lives of his children. Hmmm…

Cherries, strawberries, blueberries, chocolate and pecans, crushed candy bars . . . what doesn’t go with cheesecake? This creates a problem, you see. What do you choose as your topping? You have to pick something, especially if your cheesecake is accompanying you to a dinner party or professional meeting. (Yes, cheesecakes belong in ALL professional settings.)

If you go with cherries, for example, there is always someone who sinfully scrapes them off. This causes somewhat of an emotional breakdown for me. Want to know how I would get through such a turbulent time? Well, grasshopper, you make tons of little cheesecakes with all kinds of different toppings so the cherry-scraping fool can pick the one with chocolate drizzle instead.

Game. Set. Match.

Leave the cherries for me.

Go make something awesome,
Jen

Mini cheesecakes

• 1 cup graham cracker crumbs
• 3/4 cup plus 2 Tbsp. sugar, divided
• 3 Tbsp. butter or margarine, melted
• 3 pkg. (8 oz. each) cream cheese, softened
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 3 eggs
• 1 cup whipping cream
• 2 cups blueberries
• 1 Tbsp. lemon zest

1. Heat oven to 325°F.
2. Mix graham crumbs, 2 Tbsp. sugar and butter; press into bottoms of 18 paper-lined muffin cups.
3. Beat cream cheese, vanilla and remaining sugar with mixer until blended.
4. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing on low speed after each just until blended.
5. Spoon over crusts. Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until centers are almost set.
6. Cool completely.
7. Refrigerate 2 hours.
8. Beat whipping cream with mixer on high speed until stiff peaks form; spread onto cheesecakes.
9. Top with blueberries and zest, or your favorite fruit or topping.