Mini Lemon Cheesecakes

Bryan and I love cheesecakes. But for the two of us, making a 9-inch full size cheesecake means endless eating. It is not only too much for us. It is also very unhealthy. Therefore, I love this mini version. These mini lemon cheesecakes are perfect little bites. The ratio between the cheese filling and the crust is just right. I also love the hint of tartness and the fragrant from the lemon. It tasted lighter than regular cheesecake.

I originally wanted to make these cheesecakes with Meyer lemons. However I couldn’t find any in store, I used regular lemons this time. I have tried both lemons. Meyer lemon ones were more fragrant and less tart. But they were both fantastic. Use whatever you can find.

These cheesecakes are good for parties. They are pretty looking and easy to eat. And they travel really well.

Mini Lemon Cheesecake (Adapted from RasaMalasia)

33 mini cheesecakes

Ingredients:

–   12 ounces cream cheese (at room temperature)

–   ½ cup sugar

–   ¼ cup sour cream

–   1 tablespoon lemon zest (about 2 large lemons)

–   3 eggs

–   1 teaspoon vanilla extract

–   2 ½ tablespoons lemon juice

–   whipped cream (optional)

Crust:

–   ¾ cup graham cracker crumbs (7 graham crackers)

–   1 tablespoon packed light brown sugar

–   2 ½ tablespoons unsalted butter (melted)

Directions:

1. Line a mini muffin pan with mini foil bake cups.
2. In a medium bowl, combine the crust ingredients. Mix well. Place 1 teaspoon crumb mixture into each foil bake cup. Press the mixture down to the bottom with fingers to create a layer of crust.
3. Preheat the oven to 350˚F (177˚C).
4. In a large mixing bowl with an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese for 2 minutes. Add the sugar and beat until smooth. Add the sour cream and lemon zest. Mix well. Add the eggs one at a time and beat until blended after each addition. Scrape down the side of the mixing bowl. Add the vanilla extract and lemon juice and beat until smooth.
5. Fill each bake cup all the way to the top with cheesecake filling. Bake in the oven for 14 – 15 minutes. Let the cheesecakes cool in the pan for 5 minutes. Remove them and transfer to a cooling rack. Let them cool completely. Repeat with the rest of the crumb mixture and cheesecake filling.
6. When all the cheesecakes are cool, store them in a container and refrigerate for at least 2 hours. Decorate the cheesecakes with whipped cream before serving.

Tips:

1. Meyer lemons can be used instead of regular lemons.
2. When the cheesecakes came out of the oven, there maybe a lot of cracks. But once they shrink, the cracks will be subtle.
3. Make sure the muffin pan is cool and not hot when making a second batch. To spend up the cooling process, I usually rinse the pan under cold water. Dry it and start the second batch.
4. You can also decorate the cheesecakes with lemon curd, berry jam and berries.

Source: Read