Mini Black Bottom Cheesecakes

This recipe appeared in food and wine. I love it because it's a great little appetizer that is both savory and sweet...a great palate cleanser. Instead of fromage blanc you can sub creme fraiche, goat cheese, lebneh or quark.

• Ready In: 30 mins
• Serves: 12
• Yields: 12 tarts

Ingredients

• 1  tablespoon  vegetable oil cooking spray
• 24  plain  chocolate wafer cookies, preferably nabisco
• 3  tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
• 8  ounces reduced-fat cream cheese, room temp
• 1⁄4 cup sugar
• 2⁄3 cup  fromage blanc, room temp
• 2  large eggs
• 2  teaspoons vanilla
• 1⁄4 cup  seedless raspberry preserves, warmed

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350. Line a standard 12 cup muffin pan with foil baking cups and spray cups with veg oil spray. In a food processor, crush the chocolate wafer cookies. Add the butter and process until fine crumbs form. Spoon the chocolate cookie crumbs into the baking cups and press with the bottom of a glass to compact. Bake for 5 minutes, or until almost set. Leave oven on.
2. Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, beat the cream cheese and sugar at medium speed until smooth. Beat in the fromage blanc, then add the eggs and vanilla and beat until smooth.
3. Pour the batter into the baking cups, filling them 3/4 full.
4. Bake the cheesecakes for 15 minutes, or until slightly jiggly in the center. Remove from the oven and spread 1 tsp of warmed preserves on top of each cheesecake. Transfer the muffin tin to the freezer and chill the cakes until set, about 15 minutes.
5. Remove the cheesecakes from the pan and peel off the foil cups. Transfer the cakes onto a platter and serve.