Mini Cheesecakes with Apricot Jam

I love these mini cheesecakes because they are the perfect size and when finished they look like little sunny side up eggs, which is so cute for a brunch dessert! The most difficult part of making these mini cheesecakes was actually making the crust. It seems like an easy task when reading the recipe because you are supposed to use wafer cookies which you crumble. I don't always have the proper baking tools needed, so I was trying to crumble and break hard organic cookies into tiny pieces. This is kind of hard with no mallet - I'm thinking if I had one of those meat hammer things it would have made this much easier. I placed them in Ziploc baggie and tried to smoosh by hand. I also used some sort of nature whole foods type of wafer cookie, maybe these are harder then the average grocery store wafer. Also this recipe called for chocolate wafer cookies but I used vanilla bean instead, which for me was a better choice, I think with the chocolate they may have been too sweet for me.

After making the cheesecakes I kept them in the fridge overnight before making the Apricot Jam topping. I held off making the topping until I was about ready to serve them. I had a mini strainer for this, which actually worked out quite well for me, but I think a big one would be just fine as well. I would love to make these over and over, varying the jam topping.

Mini Cheesecakes with Apricot Jam - Martha Stewart

Makes about 18

3/4 cup crumbled chocolate-wafer cookies (or vanilla)
1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon sugar
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1 pound cream cheese, softened
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 cup sour cream
pinch of salt
1/2 cup apricot jam

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line standard muffin tins with paper liners. Mix cookies and 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon sugar in a bowl. Stir in butter. Press 1 tablespoon of mixture in bottom of each cup. Bake until set, about 7 minutes. Let cool in tins on wire racks.

Reduce oven temperature to 275 degrees. Beat cream cheese with a mixer on medium speed until smooth. Add remaining 1/2 cup sugar, then vanilla. With mixer running, add eggs slowly, scraping down side of bowl. Add sour cream and salt. Pour batter into muffin cups, filling almost to the tops.

Bake until sides are set but centers are wobbly, about 20 minutes. Let cool in tins on wire racks. Wrap tins tightly with plastic, and refrigerate 4 hours or overnight.

Warm Jam in a small saucepan until liquidy. Strain through a sieve. Spoon 1 teaspoon jam on top of each cake. Cheesecakes will keep, covered and refrigerated, for up to 3 days.