SERVES:
makes 12 mini cheesecakes
INGREDIENTS:
8 ounces room temperature cream cheese (see hints)
8 ounces room temperature chevre goat cheese
2 large eggs
scant 2/3 cup sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
12 cut circles of parchment paper, for covering bottoms of muffin pan cups (see hints)
12 small gingersnap cookies
3 - 4 cups hot water for adding to underlying baking tray
for glaze:
approx. 1/2 - 3/4 cup orange marmalade
2 - 4 Tbs vodka
PROCEDURE:
Preheat the oven to 300 degrees and heat about 3 cups of water in a teapot on the stovetop.
Use an electric mixer to cream 8 ounces of cream cheese and 8 ounces of chevre goat cheese.
Then add 2 large eggs, one at a time, and add a scant 2/3 cup sugar and 1/2 tsp vanilla extract.
You may need to scrape that down once or twice and then add a circle of parchment paper and a small ginger snap cookie to each cup of the 12-cup muffin pan, on top of a baking tray, and then divide the cheese mixture evenly into that.
Transfer the baking tray onto the center rack of the preheated oven and add 3 cups of the hot water from the teapot to the underlying baking tray and immediately set your timer for exactly 20 minutes.
Then very carefully remove the baking tray from the oven and remove the muffin pan from the baking tray.
Let that cool down to room temperature and then place the muffin pan into the refrigerator with a sheet of plastic wrap over the top to completely cool down and set up.
At that point, use a small mixing bowl to combine about 1/2 cup orange marmalade with 2 - 3 Tbs of vodka.
Then use a damp knife (plastic if possible) to carefully remove the cheesecakes from the muffin pan and serve those up with the orange marmalade glaze over the top.
HINTS:
The cream cheese, goat cheese and eggs need to be room temperature for this recipe.
Use 16 ounces cream cheese instead of a combination of cream cheese and goat cheese.
Use a non scratching plastic knife if you can to prevent damaging the nonstick muffin pan while removing the cheesecakes.
Fold a 6 - 8 inch wide piece of parchment paper over on itself into a small square and make one circular scissor cut to make a number of parchment circles at the same time.
Don't forget to remove the circle of parchment paper before serving.