MARISSA'S CHOCOLATE CHEESECAKE CUPCAKES

 This has been a slow week for me as far as cooking has been. Maybe because Wednesday when I had planned to make some cookies, Worker Jay texted a little before noon saying they were on their way to replace my kitchen sink. So no cookie baking for me. Then Thursday morning I went to walk my 30 minutes at the Y on the Lazy River and then I worked a little cleaning and trying to get the kitchen put back together. I didn't feel like cooking so I treated Wayne to a mid-afternoon burger at IHOP. Afterwards we went out looking at new televisions. We are getting a new tv for the back porch and moving the current tv on the back porch to the bedroom.

Fortunately I have one more recipe to share from a friend. This time Hillcrest Thrift Shop Staffer Marisa again. She made the awesome cheesecake bars I shared a week or so with you. Check them out here.

Marissa hit the ball out of the ballfield again with these chocolate cheesecake cupcakes. I even ate mine before I left to come home. If you don't use dark cocoa as she did, you will have a dark layer, a lighter layer, and then the frosting. I love dark chocolate so I didn't care if my cupcake had three layers or not. Thanks, Marissa, for sharing them with us and sharing the recipe with me.

For a printable copy of just the recipe, click HERE. 

CHOCOLATE CHEESECAKE CUPCAKES

For the crust:

3/4       cup chocolate cookie crumbs

2-1/2    tablespoons melted butter

1          tablespoon sugar (I would omit)

     *     *     *

For the cheesecake batter

1         8 - ounce block of cream cheese

1/3      cup sugar

4         tablespoons rounded cocoa powder (Marissa used dark cocoa)

1-1/2   teaspoon vanilla extract

1         egg

1/3      cup whipping cream

     *     *     *

For the chocolate whipped cream

1         cup whipping cream, divided

1/3      cup dark chocolate chips

1         tablespoon rounded powdered sugar

1/2      teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 300 degrees F. Place 12 paper liners in 12 - cup muffin pans. Set aside.

Prepare the crust by mixing the cookie crumbs, butter, and sugar, if you using it. Divide the mixture evenly between the 12 muffin cups. Press the crumbs firmly into the bottom of each. Set aside,

Prepare the cheesecake batter by mixing the cream cheese, s sugar, cocoa, and vanilla until smooth. Beat in the egg and then finally blend in the whipping cream until smooth. (You do not beat the whipping cream before adding it to the mixture.)

Divide the cheesecake filling equally between the 12 muffins cups and bake for 20 minutes or until cheesecakes have set and do not jiggle when you give the pan a slight shake.

Remove from the oven and cool completely.

Prepare the chocolate whipped cream by placing the chocolate chips and 2 tablespoons of the whipping cream  in a microwave safe bowl and heat for a few seconds (try 10 - 15 seconds at a time) stopping and stirring each time until all of the chocolate has melted. Let it cool to slightly lukewarm before whipping the cream.

Whip the rest of the whipping cream along with the powdered sugar, and vanilla til firm peaks form. Fold in the melted chocolate by hand into the whipped cream. Don't rush this step and deflate the cream.

Spoon or pipe the chocolate whipped cream onto the cooled mini cheesecakes. If you are piping it, it is best to chill it for half an hour first.

Drizzle a little melted chocolate if you like on top.