I found a recipe (slightly adapted) from the blog, "Pinch My Salt" and it is delightful - cute, delicious, pretty, not too fattening due to portion control - what more could one want in cheesecake!
One must use a mini cheesecake pan with removable discs - the one I have is by "Norpro''.
Crust:
1/2 cup each of ground Nilla Wafers and Animal Crackers
2 Tbs. brown sugar
1/3 stick melted butter
Filling:
1 8 oz. package cream cheese, room temperature
1/3 C. sour cream
1 egg + 1 egg yolk
1/3 C. sugar
finely grated zest of one orange
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Place crust ingredients in food processor and spin until mixture is finely crumbed and butter is absorbed. Press crumb mixture on bottom and slightly up the sides of each cheesecake pan cup. Use tart tamper to press down mixture firmly. Refrigerate for a couple of hours or even overnight.
3. Divide crumb mixture evenly between the 12 cups of your mini-cheesecake pan. Using your fingers or the back of a tablespoon, press crumbs firmly onto the bottom and partially up the sides of each cup. Use tart tamper to settle the crumb mix in each cheesecake hole and place in refrigerator for a couple of hours or even overnight.
4. Combine sugar and orange zest in a food processor and process until orange zest has been incorporated and sugar is fine.
5. Using an electric mixer, blend softened cream cheese, sour cream, egg, and orange sugar together in a medium bowl.
6. Spoon cream cheese mixture into the twelve cups, trying to divide the mixture as evenly as possible.
7. Bake for 18 minutes in a preheated 375 degree oven.
8. Remove from oven and place on rack to cool for 20 minutes then carefully remove cheesecakes from pan and let cool completely on rack.
9. Put cheesecakes in refrigerator and chill until ready to use.
One taster's comment: ''Absolutely delicious!'' Now I cannot wait to try a chocolate mini cheesecake recipe.
