These mini raspberry cheesecakes blend creamy white chocolate with tart raspberries for a smooth, rich texture. Each bite has a crunchy cookie base and a swirl of creamy filling topped with lemon curd and playful pink chocolate squiggles.
Crush the graham crackers or cookies until they resemble fine crumbs.
Place the crumbs in a bowl and add the melted butter. Mix well until the crumbs are fully coated.
If using a silicone mold, press the cookie mixture firmly into the bottom of each cavity to create an even and compact base. If using a cupcake tray, line it with paper baking cups and press the mixture firmly into the bottom of each cup, dividing it evenly among 20 cups.
Refrigerate the bases while you prepare the filling.
Cheesecake Filling
Choose a white chocolate you enjoy eating and finely chop it. Place it in a microwave-safe bowl and microwave for 20 seconds. Stir and repeat until the chocolate is fully melted and smooth.
To melt the gelatine, add 4 tablespoons of hot water to a small bowl. Sprinkle the gelatine powder over the water and stir well until all the crystals are dissolved. Place this bowl in a larger bowl filled with hot water to keep the gelatine liquid until ready to use.
In a large mixing bowl, add the cream cheese and caster sugar. Mix well with an electric hand mixer until smooth and well blended. This should take about 2 minutes.
Add the melted white chocolate to the cream cheese mixture and mix until well combined.
Pour in the heavy cream and the liquid gelatine. Mix quickly and thoroughly to avoid the gelatine setting and clumping. The mixture should become thick and well blended.
Add the raspberries and gently fold them into the cream cheese mixture using a silicone spatula. Fold only a few times to create streaks of white and pink; overmixing will lose the ripple effect.
Spoon the cheesecake mixture over the crumb bases. Push down well with the spoon as you fill the silicone cavities or paper baking cups to remove any large air bubbles or gaps.
Use an offset spatula to smooth the tops of the cheesecakes and press down the filling further into the cavities.
Freeze the cheesecakes overnight. This allows them to set firmly and be removed from the moulds cleanly without damage.
Chocolate Squiggle Toppers
Melt the white chocolate as described earlier and mix in oil-based food coloring to achieve your desired shade.
Place the colored and melted chocolate into a piping bag and snip a small hole in the tip.
Fill a medium bowl with cold water and add some ice to make an ice bath.
Pipe the chocolate into the ice bath in squiggles. The chocolate will set immediately as it hits the iced water.
Repeat until you are happy with the shapes and comfortable with the piping pressure.
Remove the chocolate squiggles from the water bath with a fork and set them on a paper towel until needed.
Assembly
Remove the cheesecakes from the silicone moulds or paper baking cups and place them onto a serving platter.
Top each cheesecake with a dollop of lemon curd and a chocolate squiggle.
Refrigerate the cheesecakes for two hours to thaw before serving.
NOTES
Use room temperature cream cheese for a smooth mix.