Caramel Vanilla Cheesecakes (Print Version)
# Ingredients:
→ Crust Layer
01 -
4 tablespoons melted unsalted butter
02 -
2 tablespoons white sugar
03 -
1 cup finely crushed graham crackers
→ Cheesecake Filling
04 -
2 large eggs
05 -
16 oz soft cream cheese
06 -
Seeds scraped from 1 vanilla bean
07 -
1/2 cup sour cream
08 -
1/2 cup white sugar
09 -
1 teaspoon vanilla essence
10 -
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
→ Topping: Brûlée
11 -
1/4 cup sugar (roughly 1 teaspoon for each cupcake)
# Instructions:
01 -
Turn the oven on to 325°F (160°C). Place cupcake liners into the cups of a standard 12-cup muffin tray.
02 -
Stir the graham cracker crumbs, melted butter, and 2 tablespoons of sugar together in a mixing bowl until everything looks evenly combined. Scoop one tablespoon of this mix into each cupcake liner, then press it down tightly with a spoon’s back.
03 -
With an electric mixer, beat the cream cheese and sugar together in a big bowl for a couple of minutes until smooth. Toss in one egg at a time, blending well after each. Then pour in the sour cream, heavy cream, vanilla seeds, and vanilla extract. Mix till it all looks silky.
04 -
Spoon the cheesecake filling evenly across the cupcake liners until they are about three-quarters full. Gently tap the pan on the counter to release any trapped air.
05 -
Pop the tray into the heated oven for 20-25 minutes. Take it out when the centers look set but still have a slight wobble. No liquid should remain.
06 -
Take the cheesecakes out of the oven, but let them stay in the pan to cool off. Once they’ve reached room temperature, stick them in the fridge for at least 2 hours or overnight to firm up.
07 -
Right before eating, sprinkle about 1 teaspoon of granulated sugar evenly on top of each chilled cheesecake. Move a kitchen torch over the surface until the sugar melts, bubbles, and turns a golden-brown shade. Keep it moving so it doesn’t burn.
08 -
Let the burnt sugar cool for a few minutes so it hardens into a crisp crust. Serve these mini cheesecakes cold and enjoy the crunch on top against the smooth filling!
# Notes:
01 -
No torch? No problem. Use a broiler preheated to high, but watch closely. The sugar will brown in 1-2 minutes.
02 -
Brûlée the sugar right before serving. If left for too long, it’ll lose its crunch.
03 -
No vanilla beans handy? Swap it for 1 extra teaspoon of good vanilla extract.