Mini baked vanilla cheesecakes

Regular visitors to my site will know that the discovery of the ‘perfect cheesecake’ is an ongoing goal of mine. My last cheesecake was a chilled one so I thought I’d try a baked one this time.

The base is the standard crushed biscuit and butter combination:


I’d never made a cheesecake with the layer of sweetened sour cream on the top and found it most pleasing! Here they are fresh from the oven:


I topped the cheesecake with fresh raspberries but you could leave them plain or use a fruit coulis of some sort. They are on the bottom layer of the stand, bakewells are on the top:


Both the flavour and texture was getting near the “perfect cheesecake” quest. I also like the idea of them being individual – very cute.


Here’s the obligatory action shot!


Ingredients:
For the cakes:
100g digestive biscuits, crushed
30g unsalted butter, melted
300g cream cheese
60g caster sugar
2 eggs
1-2 teaspoons Vanilla extract

For the topping:
142ml soured cream
30g caster sugar

Can top with fresh raspberries if desired

How to make:

- Preheat the oven to 160°C/fan oven 140°C/325°F/Gas mark 3.
- Line a 12 hole patty tin with paper cases.
- Mix the crushed biscuits and melted butter and spoon into the paper cases. Press down firmly so there are no gaps in the bases.
- Beat the cream cheese to soften it, then beat in the sugar, eggs and vanilla.
- Spoon the mixture into the paper cases and bake for approximately 20 minutes or, until the centre feels set when you lightly press it.
- Meanwhile, make the topping by mixing the soured cream and sugar together.
- When the cheesecakes feel set, pour the soured cream topping over them and bake for a further 15 minutes until set.
- Remove from the oven and leave to cool in the tin.
- Refrigerate until required. If you are using thin paper cases i.e. not rigid ones, keep them in the patty tin so that they hold their shape.
- Top with fresh raspberries if desired.
- Bask in glory at the wonderful thing you have made.
- Eat.