Cheesecake Cups with Raspberry Sauce

I love cheesecake, and I guess who doesn’t? And when it comes in this size, it’s so lovely (oh, I mean who can resist it, and small size is welcomed every where). I got the cheesecake recipe from............................but I can’t find the sour cherry, so I turn to one of my favorite berry “Raspberry”, I love the tangy flavor of this berry and the color of it is great. The combination turns out well, the sauce thicken a little bit from cornstarch but still running when you take the paper out. So, imagine the lightly sweet taste from the cheese with the crunchy bit from the cracker crumb and yes, the tangy taste from the sauce, I think you may fall in love with this cheesecake like me.

Cheesecake Cups with Raspberry Sauce

Makes12 standard muffin size cups

GRAHAM CRACKER CRUSTS
1 cup (120g)	Digestive cracker crumbs
1 tbsp (12g)	Granulated sugar
4 tbsp (57g)	salted butter, melted
CHEESECAKE FILLING
12 oz (340g)	cream cheese, softened
¾ cup (150g)	Granulated sugar
1 tsp	vanilla extract
½ tsp	finely grated lemon zest
⅛ tsp	salt
2	large eggs
1	large egg yolk
½ cup (121g)	sour cream
RASPBERRY SAUCE
300 g	Frozen raspberry
60-70 g	Granulated sugar
¾ tsp	cornstarch
1 tsp	Cold water

MAKE THE CRUSTS

1. Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 325°F. Line 12 standard muffin cups with paper liners.

2. In a medium bowl, stir together the graham cracker crumbs and sugar until blended. Stir in the melted butter.

Divide the mixture among the muffin cups and, using your fingers, pat it into an even layer in the bottom of each cup.

3. Bake the crusts for 5 to 7 minutes, until very lightly browned and fragrant. Cool the crusts on a wire rack while you make the filling.

MAKE THE FILLING

4. In the bowl of an electric mixer, using the paddle attachment (I use hand mixer), beat the cream cheese at low speed until creamy and smooth, about 2 minutes. Gradually add the sugar and beat until well blended, about 1 minute. Blend in the vanilla extract, lemon zest, and salt.

Add the eggs and yolk one at a time, scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary and mixing until well blended. Add the sour cream and mix until combined. Remove the bowl from the mixer stand and stir the filling a few times by hand to make sure it is smooth and well blended.

5. Ladle the filling into the muffin cups, filling them to the top. Bake the cheesecake cups for 20 to 25 minutes, until the tops begin to crack and the centers are set. Set the pan on a wire rack and cool completely (the cheesecake cups will sink slightly in the center as they are cool).

MAKE THE TOPPING

1. Thaw frozen raspberry in a bowl. Do not strain the juice.

2. Put the raspberry in the blender and blend until smooth and strain through a fine-mesh sieve set over a large bowl (you will get about 200g of the puree).

3. Place the raspberry puree in a small saucepan, add the sugar and bring to a boil over medium-high heat (add more or less sugar according to your taste but stay on a tangy side).

4. In a small cup, stir together the cornstarch and cold water until smooth. Whisk this mixture into the raspberry mixture and return it to medium-high heat. Heat, whisking constantly, until it comes to a boil. Boil, stirring, until thickened, about 1 minute. Remove the pan from the heat. Let the topping cool for about 20 minutes

5. Remove the cheesecake cup from the muffin pan, and spoon the topping over each cheese cake cup. Refrigerate the cheesecakes for at least 1 hour before serving