Mini Cheesecakes

A few days ago, my husband organised a series of events in aid of the Stroke Association. One of the events was a bake sale.

As it was summer, and the middle of a heatwave, I didn’t really want to spend hours in the kitchen with a hot oven. I also wanted something which had a fresh, summery feel to it. The added challenge of the Forever Nigella theme for July being ‘Party Party’ gave me more inspiration. This month it is hosted by A Kick at the Pantry Door.

I had spotted Nigella’s recipe for Cherry Cheesecake while watching the TV programme, and had like it, as it is not a baked cheesecake. I do love baked cheesecake, but this one was quicker and simpler. Also, no cooking involved!

As it was for a bake sale, I decided to miniturise the cheesecake into cupcake sizes, and give it a summery twist by using summer fruits and lemon. I had to fiddle around with the quantities of the cheesecake mixture quite a bit – unlike cupcakes, a cheesecake recipe doesn’t divide neatly into 12!

Ingredients

• 150g digestive biscuits
• 75g butter
• 400g cream cheese
• 60g icing sugar
• 1 lemon
• 300ml double cream
• Fruit to decorate
• Apricot glaze

Method

1. Line a 12 hole muffin tin with 12 muffin cases.
2. Melt the butter in a saucepan. Whizz the biscuits in a food processor until they are crumbs. Add the melted butter and whizz again.
3. Press the biscuit mixture into the cases and refrigerate.

1. In a clean bowl, beat the cream cheese. Sieve in the icing sugar and the zest and juice from the lemon. Mix thoroughly.
2.  In another bowl, whip the double cream until it is thick and fairly stiff. Fold this into the cream cheese mixture.
3. Put the cream cheese mixture into a piping bag and pipe the filling on top of the base (you don’t have to pipe it; I just found it easier).

1. Chill again. When the filling is firm, top with your choice of fruit.
2. Heat 3 tablespoons of apricot glaze in a saucepan. When boiling, paint the glaze on top of the cheesecakes.
3. Chill until serving.

Although I didn’t do these for a party, I think they would work brilliantly.

If anyone knows how I can insert photos without the numbering re-starting, I would be grateful if you could let me know in the comments! Thank you!