MINI CHEESECAKES with SUMMER BERRIES
Adapted via Our Best Bites
Serves: 12 (yields 12 cheesecakes)

Ingredients:
♦ 1 sleeve graham crackers
♦ 1/2 stick (4 tbsp) butter, melted
♦ 2 to 3 tbsp sugar
♦ 2 (8-oz) packages cream cheese, softened
♦ 3/4 cup sugar
♦ 2 tbsp flour
♦ 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
♦ 2 large eggs
♦ 1/2 vanilla bean, seeds only
♦ 12 foil cupcake liners

Directions:
Make the crusts: Preheat your oven to 375. Place graham crackers into the bowl of a food processor, and process until finely ground – add butter and sugar, and process until fully combined (alternately, you can crush the graham crackers in a plastic bag with a rolling pin – then mix in the butter and sugar by hand).

Fill a 12-cup muffin pan with cupcake liners – place about 2 tbsp of the graham cracker mixture at the bottom of each liner. Bake for 3 to 5 minutes, or until golden. Set aside while you prepare the filling.

Prepare the filling: In the bowl of a standing mixer (or in a large bowl using a hand mixer), beat together the cream cheese and sugar for about 2 minutes. Add in the flour and beat to combine. Then add in eggs, one at a time, lemon juice, and seeds from the vanilla bean. Beat to combine.

Bake the cheesecakes: Divide batter between 12 muffin cups, filling each up to about 1/4 inch from the top. Bake for 15-18 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. They will rise during the baking, but will settle down and sink slightly after cooling – this is totally OK! Once done, remove from the oven and allow to cool completely.

To read more about this dish and my musical pairing, click HERE.