Ricotta cheesecake cupcakes

I love cheesecake but a whole cheesecake at home for two people is daunting. Smaller servings are easier to share, so cupcake tins are the way to go. This recipe makes 12 single-serving baked cheesecakes that are creamy and delicious with a generous crust.

I adapted this recipe to work with the ingredients I had at hand, the weird combination of US and metric measure that I use, and the crappy electric oven I currently own. Since graham crackers are a rare item in Japan, I use plain cookies – cheap, dry, off-brand biscuits – from the local store and a dash of cinnamon to intensify the flavor.

I blend the cookie crust and haul out my KitchenAid with the whisk attachment for the filling, but you could use a blender for both. Or a food processor. Or do it manually like our foremothers did. 🙂

Make sure your ingredients are at room temperature to ensure a smooth and liquid filling texture. It will clump up and fail if you try to make this with your dairy products straight out of the fridge.

Ricotta Cheesecake Cupcakes

makes 12

Ingredients
Crust
1 cup plain cookies (more or less)
3 Tbsp sugar
50 g salted butter, melted
cinnamon to taste

Custard
200 g cream cheese, room temperature
1 cup (225 g) ricotta cheese, room temperature
3/4 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla
2 eggs + 1 yolk, room temperature
1/3 cup cream, room temperature

Method: Cookie Crusts

1. Preheat the over to 170 C (325F)
2. Prepare the cupcake tin with wax or foil liners
3. Blend/pulse/crush the cookies, sugar, and a dash of cinnamon until you have small crumbs.
4. Mix in the melted butter until the mix is even blended.
5. Press a generous tablespoonful into each cupcake.
6. Bake for 5-10 minutes until dry and fragrant.
7. Remove from oven and lower the oven temperature to 150 C (300 F)

Method: Cheesecake Custard Filling

1. Combine the cream cheese and ricotta, then blend, beat or whisk until smooth as silk. Scrape the bowl down frequently.
2. Add sugar and vanilla.
3. Add in the eggs and yolk. Beat until smooth.
4. To avoid splashing, stir in the cream by hand.
5. Pour filling over the crusts, filling the cupcake liners almost completely.
6. Bake at 150/300 for 15-25 minutes, until the custard is just set.
7. Turn off the oven and leave the cheesecakes in for at least 10 minutes with the door closed. Longer is also okay – it depends on your oven and your patience.
8. Remove from oven, allow to cool to room temperature, then tuck the whole tin into the fridge for a few hours.
9. Remove the cheesecakes from the tin and store in a sealed plastic box for up to five days (or so I have been told).

Notes:
These are nice topped with berries or fruit sauce, jam, chocolate, or nothing at all.
My timings are approximate – know your oven. Underbaking will produce a slightly gooey-in-the-middle cheesecake that might weep a bit in the fridge. Overbaking makes a drier, fluffier cheesecake especially at the edges. Both are delicious. 🙂