Leprechaun Cheesecakes

Decorated in the spirit of St. Patrick's Day, with a little green and a little sparkle, these creamy lemon-lime mini cheesecakes are sure to delight leprechauns and kids alike!!

• Ready In: 20 mins
• Yields: 12 mini cheesecakes

Ingredients

• 12  cookies (vanilla, lemon or arrowroot wafer)
• 2 (25 g) packages cream cheese, softened
• 1⁄3 cup granulated sugar
• 1  tablespoon cornstarch
• 1  egg
• 1⁄4 cup  35% cream
• 1  teaspoon vanilla
• 1  teaspoon  grated lemon zest
• 1  teaspoon  grated lime zest
•  green food coloring (optional)

• INGREDIENTS FOR SPARKLY CREAM

• 3⁄4 cup  35% cream
• 1  tablespoon icing sugar
• 1⁄2 teaspoon cornstarch
• 3  tablespoons  green  decorator sugar or 3  tablespoons  candy sprinkles, divided

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 325°F LIne 12 cups in muffin pan with paper or silicone liners. Place a cookie in the bottom of each cup, trimming to fit, if necessary.
2. In a bowl, using an electric mixer, beat cream cheese and sugar until fluffy. Beat in cornstarch, egg, cream and vanilla until smooth. Stir in lemon zest and lime zest and food coloring, if using, tinting to the desired shade of green.
3. Spoon cream cheese mixture on top of cookies in muffin cups and smooth tops. Bake for 15-20 minutes or just until puffed and set. Let cool in pan on a rack. Refrigerate for about 1 hour or until chilled.
4. SPARKLY CREAM: In a chilled bowl, using an electric mixer, whip cream untl soft peaks form. Beat in icing sugar and cornstarch just until stiff peaks form.
5. Fold in 2 tablespoons of the green sugar, leaving ribbons of color. Dollop cream on top of each cheesecake and sprinkle with remaining green sugar (decorated cheesecakes can be loosely covered and refrigerated for up to 8 hours).
6. COOKING TIP: If you need to trim the cookies, warm them in the oven for a few minutes to soften them and carefully cut with a cookie cutter or serrated knife.
7. To make cheesecakes ahead, place cooled cakes in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 2 days or freeze for up to 3 months. If frozen, let thaw in the refrigerator for at least 8 hours. Decorate with sparkly cream the day of serving.