Mini Heart Cheesecakes

These mini heart cheesecakes with brownie bottom are the perfect desserts to customize any flavor! Everyone gets their personal dessert.

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 40

Freezing 1

Servings servings

Calories 1755kcal

Author Elizabeth Marek

Equipment

Mini heart cheesecake pans
Kitchen torch
Aluminum foil
Large pan for the water bath

Ingredients

Brownie Batter

4 ounces unsalted butter room temperature
2 ounces chocolate dark, semi-sweet or milk
2 large eggs room temperature
3 ounces granulated sugar
2 ounces brown sugar
1 ounce cocoa powder sifted
2.5 ounces all purpose flour or cake flour for a more tender brownie
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
½ teaspoon salt

Cheesecake Batter

24 ounces cream cheese room temperature
6 ounces granulated sugar
⅛ teaspoon salt
½ tablespoon vanilla extract
2 ounces heavy cream room temperature
2 ounces sour cream room temperature
3 large eggs room temperature
2 ounces semi-sweet chocolate melted
2 ounces strawberry Puree cooled
1 ounce oreo cookies crushed

Chocolate Ganache Glaze (make on day 2)

4 ounces heavy whipping cream
4 ounces semi-sweet or dark chocolate
1 ounce unsalted butter softened

Strawberry Puree

4 ounces strawberries fresh or frozen
1 Tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon lemon juice

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Brownie Layer Instructions

Preheat your oven to 350ºF and line cheesecake pans with parchment paper on the bottom (or you can serve them on the pan.) No need to grease the sides.
Melt your butter and chocolate together in a heatproof bowl over simmering water or in the microwave. Let cool until it no longer feels hot to the touch.
Whisk together your sugar, salt, vanilla and eggs in a bowl until just combined.
Sift together the flour and cocoa to remove lumps and then set aside.
Add your melted chocolate mixture to the egg mixture and whisk until just combined.
Add your chocolate egg mixture to the flour mixture and stir gently until just combined and no flour lumps are visible. Do not over-mix
Divide your batter into the pans. Place the pans in the center of the oven and bake until a toothpick comes out from the center with a few sticky moist crumbs. It's better to under-bake than over-bake because it will go back in the oven with the cheesecake.
Bake at 350 for 14-15 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool while you prepare your cheesecake batter.

Strawberry Puree

Blend strawberries until smooth (or you can blend after you cook, it doesn't matter)
Place in a medium saucepan with the sugar and heat until the sugar dissolves. Add in the lemon juice and let cool

Plain Cheesecake Batter Instructions

Reduce the oven temperature to 335ºF.
Use the paddle attachment to blend together the cream cheese and sugar until smooth and lump-free.
Scrape down the sides of the bowl two or three times.
Add sour cream and cream, and then mix on low until smooth.
Add eggs one at a time while mixing on low, scrape the bowl after each addition and mix until just combined and smooth.
Divide the cheesecake batter into four bowls.
For the oreo cheesecake batter, add your oreo crumbs to the bowl and stir until combined. Pour into the pan over the brownie batter
For the plain cheesecake with hearts, fill your cheesecake pan with plain batter. Place the strawberry coulis into a squeeze bottle or piping bag. Make a ring of dots (see video for more details) and then drag a toothpick through the dots to make a ring of hearts. Pipe another heart in the center.
Combine one ounce of cheesecake batter with 2 ounces strawberry coulis and blend together. Spoon the plain cheesecake batter into the pan over the brownie layer, alternating with the strawberry batter. Marble the two together with a toothpick or skewer.
For the chocolate cheesecake, combine the cheesecake batter with the sifted cocoa powder and combine until smooth and then pour into your cheesecake pan over the cooled brownie.
Wrap each pan in two layers of tin foil (if you haven't yet) and place into a large sheet pan.
Move the bottom oven rack to the lowest place in the oven. Place the sheet pan with cheesecakes onto the rack. Using a measuring cup, fill the pan halfway with hot water.
Bake for 35-40 minutes or until the cheesecake has a jiggle in the center while tapping on the side of the pan. DO NOT open the oven door, or your cheesecake could crack.
After 35 minutes, crack the oven door open and let cool for 1 hour. Remove the cheesecakes from the water bath and place into the freezer overnight.
After your cheesecakes are frozen, you can use a kitchen torch to lightly warm the sides of your pan and then release the cheesecakes without damaging them.
Glaze your chocolate cheesecake and use the leftover glaze to pipe a chocolate rosette using a small star tip and piping bag
I decorated the rest of my cheesecakes with stabilized whipped cream but you could do anything you like
Let cheesecakes defrost in the fridge overnight or for at least 6 hours before serving.

Video

Nutrition