Cheesecakes themselves trace their origins back to ancient Greece, where they were served at weddings as a symbol of good luck. Over time, this indulgent treat evolved, with cream cheese becoming a primary ingredient in the United States during the 19th century. The strawberry and chocolate cheesecake is one of many popular versions of this cake. I once made another version of this cheesecake: chocolate cheesecake brownies.
The strawberry chocolate cheesecake is a delectable dessert creation that blends the richness of cheesecake with the irresistible flavors of strawberries and chocolate. The combination of strawberries and cheesecake is a marriage of tangy and sweet, creating a perfect harmony of flavors. So, I decided to make a mini version of this cake: the mini strawberry and chocolate cheesecakes – one of the best chocolate desserts so far.
To add to the creaminess of the cheese topping, I used melted white chocolate instead of sugar – a tip I pinched from the excellent Mary Berry. For the decoration, I used dark chocolate so that they’re slightly grown-up, rather than overly sweet. On a whim, I layered chopped strawberry pieces over the biscuit base to give an extra, surprise strawberry layer when you bite into it.
There are infinite different recipes for cheesecakes, using different quantities of cream and cream cheese; some use sour cream, others use ricotta, some use lots of eggs, and some use very few. Then there are all the worries about cracking tops, and flan-like centers… read through a few recipes, and cheesecakes become a minefield! The only secret is not to worry about any of that stuff.
Yes, you might end up with a slightly different texture, but as long as you use a type of creamy cheese, mix it with a type of cream, and add the stabilizing power of at least a couple of eggs, it will turn out fine. With these mini chocolate and strawberry cheesecake, cracking tops are barely an issue anyway, but I left them to cool for a little bit in the oven anyway, as extra insurance.
Then, it’s just a case of being patient and letting them chill for a reasonable amount of time in the fridge, rather than digging in straight away, and you’ll get that creamy, silky, wondrous texture that makes people fall in love with cheesecake.
You can serve these mini cheesecakes drizzled with cream for a sit-down dinner party, or just have them on a serving plate, which people can help themselves. Either way, it’s a simple, fuss-free dessert to round off your red carpet party in style. Here is how to make mini strawberry and chocolate cheesecakes:
Mini Strawberry and Chocolate Cheesecakes
Ingredients
- 120 g crushed digestive biscuits I used gluten-free ones
- 50 g melted butter
- 300 g full fat cream cheese
- 200 ml double cream
- 1 egg
- 1 yolk
- 75 g white chocolate
- 50 g dark chocolate
- 9 strawberries
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 150C and line a cupcake tin with paper cupcake cases.
- In a bowl, mix together the crushed biscuits and melted butter until sand-like in texture.
- Use a teaspoon to transfer small amounts of the biscuit mixture into each case. Use your fingers to press each base down.
- Make the topping by mixing together the cream cheese and double cream.
- Beat in the whole egg and yolk.
- Melt the white chocolate and stir into the cream mixture. Set aside.
- Finely chop 3 of the strawberries and layer some of the small pieces over each biscuit base.
- Top each one with a generous amount of the cream topping, almost to the tops of the cases.
- Bake for about 20 minutes, until just starting to brown at the edges, but still slightly wobbly in the centre.
- Turn oven off and crack the door open – leave to cool for about 10 mins.
- Turn out onto a wire rack and leave to cool completely.
- Melt the dark chocolate and halve the remaining strawberries.
- Use a piping bag to pipe chocolate patterns onto the cheesecakes and attach a strawberry half to each.
- Chill the cheesecakes in their cases in the fridge for several hours or overnight.
Creating these mini strawberry and chocolate cheesecakes is an exciting culinary adventure that combines the richness of chocolate with the sweetness of strawberries. I believe that each of you can easily recreate this wonderful dessert in your own kitchen. Let your creativity shine as you layer the ingredients and add your personal touch.