Mini Chocolate Cherry Cheesecakes

  Many many years ago, my sisters used to make Cherry Cheese Tarts. They were just simple little cheesecakes that didn't take many ingredients and were a cinch to throw together. It was one of those desserts that showed up at many family events and they were always a bit hit. A vanilla wafer went into the bottom of a cupcake liner, cheesecake batter was poured over the top, and then after they baked and cooled, they were topped with a spoonful of cherry pie filling. Perfect, right? They were SO good! But I thought, well, what if we do a chocolate version? Chocolate and cherry are a match made in heaven! (And frankly, why have I never done this until now?) I'll just do an Oreo cookie crust, a chocolate cheesecake filling, and my same favorite cherry pie filling on top! Awesome.
 I was originally just going to chocolate-ify the recipe that we used to use, but then I thought maybe it would be better to go with a whole new recipe. Since I didn't already have a go-to chocolate cheesecake recipe, I decided to try this recipe from a blog called Baker by Nature. It's a FABULOUS recipe. Not too sweet, VERY rich and chocolatey, and perfect if you want a small but decadent treat. And they look so delicious that you'll get the added bonus of everyone saying "ooooo and aaaaahhhhh" when you bring them to a party. LOL Btw, They're also the perfect thing to make if you want to impress somebody special. I'm not sayin', I'm just sayin'!




For the crust:
36 Oreo cookies, crushed into fine crumbs
4 tbs melted butter

 Preheat oven to 325ºF. Line two 12-mold muffin tins with paper liners. Spray liners lightly with non-stick spray and set aside until needed. Place the cookies in the body of a small food processor and pulse until the cookies are very fine crumbs. Add melted butter and pulse until well combined. Divide the mixture between the cupcake liners and press it firmly into the bottom of each mold. Bake crusts in preheated oven for 5 minutes. Remove from the oven and place the tins on a wire rack to cool while you make the filling. Reduce oven to 300°F.



For the cheesecake:
7 ounces semi-sweet chocolate, finely chopped
16 ounces full-fat cream cheese
2/3 cup sour cream
2/3 cup granulated sugar
1/2 tbs unsweetened cocoa powder
2 large eggs plus 2 egg yolks
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 tsp pure vanilla extract


 Place the chocolate in a heat proof bowl over a small pot of simmering water. Heat until the chocolate is completely melted, stirring occasionally with a rubber spatula. Remove the pot from the heat, leaving the bowl of chocolate over the hot water. Set aside.
 In the bowl of a food processor, pulse the cream cheese and sour cream until completely smooth, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Add in the sugar and cocoa powder and beat until smooth. Add in the eggs, egg yolks, and heavy cream and mix until combined,. Fold in the chocolate. Finally add in the vanilla and pulse for another 20 seconds. Divide the filling evenly among the cupcake liners. Bake cheesecakes for 15 minutes, then turn off the oven and leave the door closed for another 5 minutes. Remove the cheesecake pans from the oven and place the pans on a wire rack to cool completely. Once cool to the touch, place the pans in the fridge to chill for at least 2 hours. Once the cheesecakes are completely cool, you can remove them from the pan.
Top with cherry pie filling or your topping of choice.



Tips:
Whenever making any kind of cheesecake, be sure that all of your ingredients are room temperature. It makes all the difference in the final product!
This recipe originally called for a ganache topping, which is just chocolate melted with heavy cream. I decided to stick with cherry pie filling, since that was the original inspiration. Strawberry pie filling would be great too, or even just a swirl of whipped cream and a fresh raspberry on top. You do you!
If you don't need to make 24, you can either cut the entire recipe in half and just make 12, OR you can still make all 24 and then freeze the rest for another time!

Cranberry Tart

 This is an easy Fall dessert that has holiday written all over it. Thanksgiving wouldn't be the same without cranberries, but how about a cranberry DESSERT in addition to the Cranberry Sauce that you have with dinner? Frankly, I've never met a cranberry I didn't like, so as far as I'm concerned, you can never have too many cranberry dishes. This is sweet and tart, and would be perfect with a dollop of freshly whipped cream. You could even garnish it with a few white chocolate curls! It's also light and refreshing and it's just the thing to finish off a big dinner. This is the tweaked version of a Martha Stewart recipe that I made for my family last year and then tucked it away, figuring I'd share it this year. I almost forgot all about it! Whew! That was a close one.


1 Pillsbury ready made pie crust Or your own homemade
1/2 cup cold water
2 envelopes unflavored gelatin
6 cups fresh cranberries
1 3/4 to 2 cups sugar, to taste
1 cup red currant jelly
2 tablespoons Cognac


Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Crust:
On a lightly floured work surface, roll pie crust into a 13-inch round. With a dry pastry brush, sweep off excess flour; fit dough into a 10-inch round fluted tart pan with a removable bottom. Fold edges toward center to reinforce; press into sides of tart ring. Pierce bottom of tart shell all over with a fork. Cover with plastic wrap; freeze until firm, about 15 minutes. Uncover and line tart shell with parchment and fill with pie weights or dried beans. Bake until edges are set and golden, about 20 minutes. Remove weights and parchment and continue baking until bottom of crust is dry and golden, 15 to 20 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool completely on a wire rack.

Filling:
Place cold water in a small bowl. Sprinkle gelatin over water; let stand until softened, about 5 minutes. Combine cranberries, sugar, jelly, and cognac in a saucepan and cook over low heat 12 to 15 minutes. Do not overcook or the mixture will become too watery; cranberries should be soft but not bursting. Remove from heat and let cool slightly. Stir in gelatin and let cool completely. Pour cranberry filling into tart shell and chill for at least 1 hour before serving.

Tips:
I used the Pillsbury pie crust, just because it's easier, it's a time saver, and I think it's a good product. I usually don't mention brand names unless it's warranted. In this case, I've tried other brands and they're just not as good. If you'd like to make your own homemade pie crust or Pate Brisee, go for it!
Instead of using Cognac, try using Grand Marnier for a little hit of orange flavor or Chambord which is a raspberry liqueur. YUM!

Apple Tart Tatin

To be quite honest, I never really learned very much about French cooking. Yes, there are TONS of French techniques and recipes into which I'm sure I could absolutely IMMERSE myself, but I guess I was always a little intimidated by it. But after I watched the film Julie and Julia, I thought, "wait, how hard could it be?", and that's when I decided that someday I would have a dinner with a French menu. So when my friend Dennis asked for a French dinner, I was all in. And do you wanna know something? It wasn't as difficult as one would think! I googled classic French recipes for appetizers, entrees, and desserts. I came up with a menu of classic French fare. I was pretty thrilled with how everything turned out, but the one thing that excited me the most was this fabulous apple tart. It looks SO impressive, but it's actually not very difficult to make. Actually, some say that this recipe was a a happy accident that was originally intended to be an apple pie. I figured if it happened by accident, then it's probably not very difficult to do! So I was pretty pleased when it came out exactly as it was supposed to on my very first try. And OMG it's SO delicious! I mean, seriously, how can you go wrong with apples and caramel?!
 So, if you're feeling a little adventurous and would like to give this a try, I say go for it! I think you just may surprise yourself! This is Martha Stewart's version, and from what I can tell, it's pretty true to the classic. Of course, you don't have to tell your friends and family how easy it was to make. It'll be our little secret!

6 to 8 large firm sweet apples, such as Northern Spy, Winesap, Granny Smith, Golden Delicious, or Mutsu, peeled and halved

1 to 2 lemons, halved

1 cup sugar

4 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 sheet frozen puff pastry (from a standard 17 1/4-ounce package), thawed

All-purpose flour, for dusting 

 

 

  Heat oven to 400 degrees. 

Core apples using a melon baller to retain the rounded shape of the apples. Rub apples with sliced lemons to prevent browning. Set aside.

 Over medium heat in a 10-inch cast-iron skillet, heat sugar and 1/4 cup water. Cook until it turns a rich golden color; swirling occasionally, about 6 to 7 minutes. Meanwhile, roll puff pastry in one direction out into a 14-inch circle on a lightly floured surface, about 1/8 inch thick. Brush off any excess flour with a pastry brush.

 Add butter to skillet. Once melted, add apples, rounded sides down, fitting as many into the skillet as possible. Remove from heat, and top apples with puff pastry. Fold edges under, and crimp slightly. Make two to three small cuts in puff pastry to allow the steam to escape. Place in oven for 10 minutes. Reduce heat to 375 degrees. and bake until pastry is golden brown, about 20 to 25 minutes.

 Remove from oven, and let cool about 2 minutes. Loosen edges with a knife. Carefully place a plate over the skillet and flip, inverting the tarte tatin. Serve warm or at room temperature.

 

Tips:

I quartered my apples instead of just leaving them in halves as the recipe directs, just because I think it looks nicer in the pan, and I used a regular apple corer instead of a melon baller. Just sayin!

I used a cast iron skillet, but any heavy nonstick pan will work. Just be sure it has an ovenproof handle. 

The key to this dish is not burning the sugar. You want it to caramelize, but things can go south very quickly. Whenever I have a recipe involving caramelized sugar, I like to have the rest of my ingredients already ready already so I'll be good to go when it's time to add them.

The Ultimate Onion Tart

 

 

 I recently had a few friends over for a French-themed dinner and this was one of the appetizers I made. It starts with lots of sweet onions cooked way way down until they're caramelized and golden. Add some bacon, a little cream, and some fresh herbs, and you have the makings for a fabulous first course or appetizer. Serve it with a crisp salad and you'll have a lovely and light summer lunch or brunch. Oh, and as much as I'd love to take the credit for it, this recipe isn't mine. I found it on a blog called Food Republic. As soon as I saw it, I knew this was the one I'd make. Frankly, they had me at bacon! It looks and sounds fancy, but it's really simple to make! Make it the next time you want to impress someone. I promise they'll love it!

 

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 tablespoons butter

5 strips bacon, diced 
2 pounds yellow onions, sliced into rings  

2 springs fresh thyme 

1 teaspoon salt

2 eggs  

1/2 cup half and half 

2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper

1 sheet frozen puff pastry, thawed

 

Preheat oven to 375ºF.

Melt butter and oil together in a large skillet and add the diced bacon. Cook until the bacon is halfway cooked. Add the thyme, onions, and salt to the skillet. Cook on medium-low heat until the onions are completely translucent and caramelized. This will take around 30 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly. Combine eggs and half and half in a bowl. Add the caramelized onion mixture and the freshly ground black pepper. Roll out puff pastry and place in a pie plate or tart pan. Trim edges. Add the onion mixture to the pastry and bake for 35 minutes or until the crust and top are slightly browned. Allow to cool, then slice and serve.

 

 Tips:

Be sure to really take the time to let the onions caramelize, low and slow. You really don't want to rush this. The more you cook them down, the sweeter they will be, resulting in a much deeper flavor.  

The recipe calls for 2 tsp black pepper. That seemed like far too much, so I just added a 1/2 tsp. Add as much as you like!

 

Joey's Easy Pumpkin Tart

 This recipe is a combination of several recipes. As I often do, I took different ideas from a few different recipes, switched things around a little and came up with something new! I must say I'm pretty pleased with the way it turned out! Of course it's very similar to classic pumpkin pie, but it's a little smoother, and the crust adds a nice crunch. It's so delicious and flavorful, you might not go back to your regular pumpkin pie! And it's really simple too! Perfect for any holiday meal.
Try it!



Crust:
2 cups crushed vanilla wafers
1 cup crushed pecans
1/4 cup brown sugar
5 tbs melted butter


 Filling:
1 15oz can pumpkin puree
1 14oz an sweetened condensed milk
2 large egg yolks
1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/4 cup sugar

 Heat oven to 350ºF.
Combine crust ingredients and press into a 9" tart pan with removable bottom. Use the bottom of a measuring cup or straight sided jar to press crumbs into tart pan. Place pan on a baking tray, and bake crust for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, make the filling.
 Stir together all filling ingredients except the sugar. Pour mixture into baked crust. (no need to cool). Sprinkle top with sugar. Let it sit for a few minutes until the sugar dissolves a bit. Bake in oven for 45 minutes or until set. Cool completely or chill before serving. Top with whipped cream or non-dairy whipped topping.


Tips:
For the crust, I like to keep the pecans a little more coarse than the cookie crumbs. This gives it a little bit more of a crunchy texture.
For an easy variation, try a different kind of cookie, such as ginger snaps, Lorna Doones, Pecan Sandies, or graham crackers. 
If you're not a pecan fan, use any favorite nuts instead, or simply leave them out!
To make beautifully clean cuts, use a big sharp knife (Chrissy, bring me the big knife!) Then instead of pulling the knife through it, (which could break up the crust), place the point of the knife in the center with entire edge of the knife on the surface of the tart, then use the whole knife to make the cut in a downward chop sort of a motion. You'll get PERFECTLY clean cuts, even on the first piece!

Berries and Cream Tart

 Every so often, I'll decide to try HALF of a recipe. Have you ever done that? No, I don't mean reducing the quantity by half. I mean only making a portion of it. In other words, I'll take just the part that I like from one recipe and put it together with part of another recipe and boom, we have a new recipe! This is exactly what I did when I decided to make a red white and blue tart to celebrate the 4th of July. I knew I wanted to do berries and cream, but I didn't want to make just a regular pie crust. I didn't want to do a graham cracker crust either. So I decided to go to Ina's Easy Lemon Tart recipe that I posted a while back and use the shortbread cookie crust. THAT's exactly what I had in mind! It's really easy to make, it's OMG good, and it goes perfectly with a summer fruit and cream topping, perfect for your next BBQ. Btw, does anyone else mix and match recipes like this?  Well, now you know one of my secrets for always coming up with something new!!! Enjoy!


Crust: 
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
2/3 cup confectioners sugar

1/8 teaspoon salt

1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
3/4 cup cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces 

Filling:
1/3 cup sour cream
1 (8-oz.) package cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/4 cup heavy whipping cream

Topping:
1 cup fresh blueberries
1 cup fresh raspberries


Heat oven to 425ºF.
Grease with butter, or spray with a nonstick vegetable cooking spray, an 8 - 9 inch tart pan with a removable bottom. 

In a large bowl, sift together the flour sugar and salt. Using two knives or a pastry cutter, cut in the butter and vanilla until it resembles coarse crumbs. Scoop up a handful and squeeze it to make sure it easily clumps together. If you have a food processor, just throw everything into the bowl and pulse it until it forms a clump. Place the pastry in the prepared tart pan and, using your fingertips, evenly press the pastry onto the bottom and up the sides of the pan. (You can use the back of a spoon or the bottom of a measuring cup to smooth the surface of the pastry.) Pierce the bottom of the crust with the tines of a fork. (This will prevent the pastry crust from puffing up while it bakes.) Cover and place the pastry crust in the freezer for 15 minutes to chill. (This will help prevent the crust from shrinking while it bakes.)

When the pastry is completely chilled, place the tart pan on a larger baking pan and bake until the crust is golden brown, about 13 - 15 minutes. Remove from oven and place on a wire rack to cool while you make the filling.

 Beat all filling ingredients in a large bowl. Spread mixture evenly into cooled tart shell. Arrange berries on top. Chill 2 hours for easiest slicing.

Tips:
It's much easier to work with the crust dough if you chill it for a while before you press it into the pan.
I like to use an 11" tart pan instead of an 8" or 9", so I increased all of the crust and filling ingredients by half.
If you're not doing a patriotic theme, use any kind of fruits you like. Ripe peeled peaches or nectarines, kiwi, pineapple, strawberries. ALL fabulous. You could even forget the fresh fruit and top it with your favorite pie filling. Cherry pie filling would be delish!

Joey's Fresh Blackberry and Mango Galette

 Have you ever heard of a galette? It's a sort of free form pie, filled with anything that your heart desires. I was first inspired to make one when I stopped by to visit my friends, Dina and Tony. Dina was cooking up a storm (as always) and she had made an apple galette for dessert, which was SO delish! I thought "what could be easier?" It kind of takes all fear out of making a pie. So, I decided to make one too, only I chose blackberries and mangoes for the filling. The mangoes were SO juicy and ripe, and the blackberries were just as plump as could be. I thought, why not? So here it is. It's my own recipe and I hope you like it!

2 ripe mangoes, peeled and sliced
2 6 oz containers fresh blackberries
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 heaping tbs cornstarch (plus a little extra if the fruit is really juicy)
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tbs fresh lemon juice
Tiny pinch of salt
1 ready made pie crust or half recipe for Easy Pie Crust

Heat oven to 350F.
Place fruit in a small mixing bowl. Add remaining filling ingredients. Gently toss until coated.
On a lightly floured work surface, roll out the pie crust into a large circle. Carefully roll up the pie crust over your floured rolling pin, then unroll it onto a parchment lined baking tray. Pile the fruit mixture into the center of the pie crust. Spread it out a little, leaving a 2" border around the edges. Fold pie crust edges over the fruit. Brush the crust with an egg wash, if desired, then sprinkle with a little white sugar + a little cinnamon. Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until the crust is golden and fruit is bubbly. Let it cool for 15 minutes before serving. Serve with a dollop of whipped cream or a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream.

Tips:
You can tell if a mango is really ripe when most of the peel becomes a deep red. If it's mostly green, it's not ripe enough. But go ahead and purchase it anyway, then let it sit in a paper bag at room temperature for 2 or 3 days until it ripens.
Can't find blackberries? Use blueberries instead! Don't like mangoes? Use peaches instead!

Btw, an egg wash is simply a beaten egg with a little bit of water added to it. When you brush it onto any bread or crust, it gives a nice golden shine to whatever you're baking.

Cherry Cheese Tarts

Here's an easy cheesy dessert that you can make if you're in the mood for cheesecake, but you don't have the time. It only takes a few minutes to whip up a batch, so give them a try! You'll love 'em!
By the way, my fabulous, gorgeous, talented, youthful, vibrant, funny, caring and all-around wonderful sister, Cathy, left a comment with a few more tips, but they're such good ideas that I figured they needed to be included as part of the recipe, not just in the comments section. So, I moved them!
Thanx Cath!

18 foil or paper muffin cups
18 vanilla wafers
2 8 oz. pkgs. cream cheese
2 eggs
1/2 cup sugar
2 tsp. vanilla
1 can cherry pie filling


Place muffin cups in muffin pans. Place 1 vanilla wafer in each muffin cup. Blend all ingredients except pie filling. Spoon filling into cups over wafers, dividing the filling between the 18 cups, (about 3/4 full). Bake 15 minutes at 350F degrees. Chill. Spoon pie filling over each tart.

Joey's Tips:
Clearly, you can use any favorite pie filling instead of cherry. Blueberry tarts are fabulous! You can also switch up the cookies as much as you like. Try adding some pumpkin pie spice to the cheese mixture and substitute gingersnaps for the vanilla wafers. YUM!

Cathy's Tips:
You can also skip the fruit topping, and just mix in mini chocolate chips into the batter before baking. A chocolate wafer cookie as the "crust" makes it extra decadent. This is also really good with fresh fruits, and makes a pretty presentation if you use a mixture of fruits (like strawberries, blueberries & kiwi).

Creamy Maple Tarts

Ever since I made Chris's Ricotta Cheese Pancakes, I've been in the mood for something maple. I thought of baking a pie, but then opted to make little bite sized mini muffin tarts instead. You can use this recipe to bake a pie, if you like. Just keep an eye on it and adjust your baking time until the pie is set. It's very similar to a Molasses Pie or Shoo Fly Pie. Sweet and delicious!

2 pie crusts
2 1/4 cups maple syrup
3/4 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
4 eggs


Preheat oven to 375.
Using a small round cookie cutter, cut circles out of pie crust and fit each circle into mini muffin pans. Collect scraps, reroll crust, and cut more circles. Repeat until all pastry is used. Set aside. In mixing bowl, whisk together maple syrup, cream, flour, and eggs until blended; Pour into crust-lined muffin pans. Bake for 18-20 minutes or until set. cool completely. Top with Whipped Cream.

Tip:
For a variation, stir some chopped nuts into the batter before filling the muffin cups.
You can also just sprinkle them on top of the cups just before you bake them.
If you don't have a mini muffin pan you can use a regular muffin pan. Just cut larger circles of pie crust to be fitted into each cup.