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Dairy
Easy
1 Hour, 25 Minutes
Diets 
Watch the video to learn how to do this gorgeous plating technique! The hearts in these mini cheesecakes are easy to create and add a delicious touch of fruity flavor. You can use mini rectangle tart pans (with a removable bottom) or one big springform pan. This recipe first appeared in Whisk by Ami magazine. For more delicious cheesecakes like this one, see our post The Ultimate Cheesecake Roundup.
2 and 2/3 cups chocolate graham cracker crumbs (2/3 of a box or 2 sealed packets, processed)
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, melted
1 egg white or 3 tablespoons Haddar Egg Whites
2 tablespoons oil
1 tablespoon sugar
1 and 1/2 teaspoons Gefen Cornstarch
1/3 cup water
1 (16-oz.) bag frozen strawberries, thawed and quartered
2 (8-oz.) containers whipped cream cheese, softened
3 eggs
3/4 cup sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla sugar
Preheat oven to 350°F.
Combine all ingredients in a bowl.
Place two heaping tablespoons of the crumb mixture into each of 12 mini tart pans. Using your fingers, press firmly into the fluted edges first, then into the bottom of each pan.
Place mini tart pans onto a baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes.
Place sugar, cornstarch, and water in a medium-size saucepan. Whisk together until combined. Add fruit and cook over medium heat, whisking often, for five to 10 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool.
Transfer fruit to a blender or a food processor fitted with the knife blade (an immersion blender is not recommended). Pulse until fruit is all liquidized and smooth.
Push through a fine mesh sieve (this will remove all seeds and as a result you will have a luscious and smooth sauce). Transfer to a squeeze bottle or a bowl and chill until ready to use.
The sauce can be prepared a few days in advance.
In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, combine cream cheese, eggs, and sugars. Beat until smooth and no lumps are visible.
Position one rack in the center of the oven and one at the bottom.
Transfer the cheesecake batter to a Cupcake Pen or to a large resealable bag with the corner snipped off. Carefully fill the cooled crusts.
To make the hearts: I found the squeeze bottle (you can find it in any specialty cooking store) worked best, but a medicine syringe worked well too. Pipe small dots of strawberry sauce wherever you want to put a heart. Dots should be over the surface of the cheese batter, not inside it. Run a toothpick thorough the dots, “connecting” them. Do not remove the toothpick until you finish running through the last dot. (Watch how Renee does it in the video!)
Fill a 9- x 13-inch pan halfway up with hot water. Place inside oven on lower rack. Place cheesecakes on the middle rack and bake for 20 minutes.
Let cheesecakes cool in oven. Refrigerate or freeze.
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Mrs L Does this cake freeze well?