Let Them Eat Cupcakes! Mini Cheesecakes with Raspberry Hearts. (12/28/2009)

These are the mini cheesecakes that we all made for my sister-in-law Ashley's wedding. They are super easy (when you're not making 400, I'm sure) and delicious! They make a great addition to any chocolate fountain buffet.

Yields: 32 mini cheesecakes

You will need:

- 1 and 1/2 cups finely ground graham crackers (about 12)
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- 1 and 1/2 cups plus 5 tablespoons sugar
- 1 container (6 ounces) fresh raspberries
- 2 pounds (four 8-ounce packages) cream cheese at room temp
- pinch of salt
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 4 large eggs, room temp

Preheat oven to 325.

Line standard muffin tins with paper liners. Stir together crackers, butter, and 3 tablespoons sugar. Press one tablespoon of cracker mixture into the bottom of each cup. Bake until set and beginning to color at edges, about 10 minutes. Transfer tins to a wire rack to cool.

Puree raspberries in a food processor until smooth, about 30 seconds. Press through a fine sieve, and discard the solids. Whisk in 2 tablespoons of sugar.

With your mixer on medium-high beat the cream cheese until fluffy. On low add the remaining 1 and 1/2 cups of sugar in a slow stream, then add in salt and vanilla and mix until well combined. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating until just combined after each (do not over mix) and scraping bowl.

Spoon 3 tablespoons of the filling over the crust in each cup. Drop 2 dots of raspberry puree about one inch apart in cupcake. Drag the tip of a tooth pick or wooden skewer down through centers of dots to create a heart.

To bake, set tins in the oven in roasting pans filled half way with hot water; bake until set, about 34 minutes, rotating halfway through. Transfer tins to racks to cool completely. Refrigerate in tins, uncovered, at least 4 hours. Remove from tins, and refrigerate in air-tight containers for up to 5 days.