cappuccino {mini} cheesecakes.

How about serving up that after-dinner cappuccino in a different way?

That was precisely my thought when I first saw this recipe in the Pastry Queen cookbook. I was always drawn to the idea of serving these cheesecakes at a dinner party for that very reason. Though I think they would be even cuter served with real cappuccinos, until I get an espresso machine, these cheesecakes will have to hold their own.

I think that’s just fine, because these miniature cheesecakes are DE-LI-CIOUS.

Everyone absolutely loved them. Because they’re baked in individual tartlet pans (which I adore), they’ve got somewhat of a different filling ratio than a typical cheesecake. Lots of Oreo crust is topped with a layer of cappuccino cheesecake (with chocolate chips, I might add) and then finished off with a coating of shiny chocolate ganache. What I’m getting at is you’re not getting a ridiculously thick layer of cheesecake as you might expect when you hear the word. Everyone who tried these actually told me that was what they liked most about them. The only change I would consider making to this recipe is increasing the amount of espresso. Because I just love the flavor.

So, the next time you’re thinking about serving a boring old cup of coffee after dinner – think again. Think cheesecake.

Cappuccino Cheesecakes

From The Pastry Queen by Rebecca Rather

Crust:

• 1 (16-ounce) package creme-filled chocolate sandwich cookies
• 1/2 cups (1 stick) butter, melted

Filling:

• 2 teaspoons instant espresso powder
• 1 tablespoon boiling water
• 2 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, at room temperature
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3 large eggs
• 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Ganache:

• 4 ounces high-quality bittersweet chocolate
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 2 tablespoons light corn syrup
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

To make the crusts:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Process the cookies in a food processor fitted with a metal blade until ground to coarse crumbs. Pour in the melted butter and pulse until the mixture is thoroughly combined. Press the mixture over the bottom of eight 4 3/8-inch, 1-cup capacity tartlet pans.

{My tartlet pans are slightly smaller than these called for in the recipe, and I only have 6 of them. Needless to say, I had extra crust and cheesecake filling, so I baked it up in muffin tins. I sprayed the tins with cooking spray, and then patted the crust in and followed with the filling. They came out surprisingly easy, and made for adorable mini-mini versions}

To make the filling:

Combine the espresso powder with the boiling water in a small bowl. Using a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine cream cheese, sugar, salt, and coffee mixture in a large bowl on medium-high speed. Add the eggs all at once and beat on medium-high about 1 minute. Stir in the chocolate chips. Pour the cream cheese mixture over the chocolate crusts, leaving about 1/4 inch at the top for the chocolate ganache.

Bake the cakes for 35 to 40 minutes, until the filling is set. Cool for 20 minutes before topping with ganache.

To make the ganache:

Chop the chocolate into small pieces and place in a medium bowl. Heat the cream in a small saucepan until it is very hot and just beginning to steam. Pour the hot cream over the chocolate and stir until it is completely melted. Stir in the corn syrup and vanilla. Pour the glaze into a medium pitcher or measuring cup and let it cool for 10 minutes.

Pour an even layer of ganache atop the cheesecakes, being sure to cover the cream cheese filling. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours or up to 3 days. Press up on the bottom of the tart pans to release the tarts. Serve chilled.