Mini Vanilla Cheesecakes with Chantilly Cream

These delightful mini cheesecakes are the perfect bite-sized treat for any gathering! With a buttery, cinnamon-kissed biscuit base and a creamy, velvety vanilla filling, they’re easier to make than a full-sized cheesecake and far less messy to serve. Topped with fluffy Chantilly cream and fresh berries, they’re as beautiful as they are delicious. Ensure all ingredients are at room temperature for a silky-smooth filling without lumps. Customize with your favorite fruits or toppings for a show-stopping dessert that’s sure to impress!

Instructions

1. 1

   Preheat oven to 160°C / 325°F (140°C fan-forced). Position the oven rack one-third from the bottom. Line a 12-hole standard muffin tin with paper liners.

2. 2

   For the base, break digestive biscuits into pieces and blitz in a food processor until fine crumbs form (about 10 seconds). Alternatively, place in a ziplock bag and crush with a rolling pin (Note 4). Add melted butter, caster sugar, cinnamon, and a pinch of salt. Blitz or mix until it resembles wet sand.

3. 3

   Divide the base mixture evenly among the 12 muffin holes (about 1 1/2 tbsp per hole). Press firmly using a flat, round tool (a 1/3 cup measure works well) to create a smooth, even base. Bake for 7 minutes, then cool for 5 minutes.

4. 4

   For the filling, beat cream cheese on medium speed (speed 5) with an electric mixer until smooth, about 10 seconds. Add flour, vanilla extract, sour cream, caster sugar, lemon zest, and a pinch of salt. Beat on medium speed until just combined, about 10 seconds. Add eggs one at a time, beating until just incorporated. The mixture should resemble thick pancake batter (Note 5).

5. 5

   Divide the filling evenly among the muffin holes, filling to within 3mm of the rim (it won’t rise much). Bake for 20 minutes until just set.

6. 6

   Remove from the oven and cool in the tin for 1 hour. Cover with parchment paper, then loosely with cling wrap. Refrigerate for at least 6 hours, preferably overnight, until the liners peel off cleanly (Note 6).

7. 7

   For the Chantilly cream, combine thickened cream, vanilla extract, and icing sugar in a bowl. Beat on high speed until thick enough to pipe or dollop.

8. 8

   Remove cheesecakes from the fridge 30 minutes before serving to soften slightly. Pipe or dollop Chantilly cream on top, decorate with strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, and mint sprigs if desired. Dust with icing sugar and serve.

Recipe Notes

• Biscuits – Digestive biscuits or Graham Crackers (20 squares for 150g) are ideal for a buttery, cohesive base. Other biscuits like Marie crackers work but may require an extra 90g melted butter to achieve the wet sand texture. Adjust butter by adding 1 tbsp at a time if needed.

• Cream cheese – Use block cream cheese for a firmer texture, not spreadable tub varieties. Ensure it’s at room temperature to avoid lumps in the filling.

• Eggs – Use large eggs (about 55g/2oz each) at room temperature for smooth incorporation. Cold eggs can cause the batter to seize.

• No food processor? – Crush biscuits in a ziplock bag using a rolling pin or heavy can. It’s effective and fun!

• Smooth filling – Room-temperature ingredients are key to a lump-free, smooth filling. Minimal beating prevents air bubbles, reducing the risk of surface cracks.

• Peeling liners – For cleaner edges, freeze cheesecakes for 30 minutes before peeling off liners. This firms up the sides for a neater presentation.

• Serving – Decorate just before serving for the freshest look. If transporting, assemble at the destination and refrigerate. Cheesecakes can be decorated a few hours ahead and stored in the fridge.

• Storage – Store cheesecakes in the fridge for up to 5 days. Chantilly cream may deflate slightly over time. For longer-lasting cream, replace 1/4 of the unwhipped cream with 40% fat mascarpone to stabilize it while keeping it light.

• Nutrition – Values are per cheesecake, excluding optional berry toppings.