Mini Chevre Cheesecakes with Spiced Cherries

Ingredients:

• 1 cup crushed graham crackers or other cookies
• 1/2 cup plus 1T sugar
• 4 T melted unsalted butter
• 1 and 1/2 packages of regular cream cheese (12 oz. total)
• 1 (4 oz.) package of chevre (goat cheese in log form)
• 1/4 tsp vanilla
• 2 large lightly beaten eggs
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• pinch of salt
• 1/2 jar Spiced Sour Cherry Spread from The Gracious Gourmet
  
• 18 cupcake liners

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line standard cupcake pan with cupcake papers. Mix graham cracker crumbs with melted butter and 1 T of sugar. Press 1 T of the graham cracker mixture into the bottom of each of the 18 cupcake liners in the cupcake pan. Bake until firm, about 6 minutes. Let cool on wire rack.
2. Reduce oven temp to 275. Beat softened cream cheese and goat cheese together with a mixer on med. speed. Add 1/2 cup of sugar and vanilla. Keep blending. Add eggs slowly, scraping sides of bowl into mixture. Add sour cream and pinch of salt. Pour batter into baking cups, filling nearly to the tops.
3. Bake until sides are set but centers are wobbly, about 20-25 minutes. Let cool on wire racks. Wrap tops of cheesecakes tightly in pan with plastic wrap and refrigerate for four hours or overnight. Serve with 1/2 T of Spiced Sour Cherry Spread from The Gracious Gourmet (more or less can be used as desired). Will keep 3 days in the fridge. (www.thegraciousgourmet.com)

This recipe was adapted from a Martha Stewart recipe called "Mini Cheesecakes with Apricot Jam." I changed the cookie crust, kind of cheese, topping and adjusted the ingredients to better proportions. Makes 18 individual cakes. The topping is also fantastic! It has notes of red wine and lemon juice and spice in it. Not overwhelming at all! And the whole cherries in it are just gorgeous for the holidays.

The cupcake liners used are from Sutton Gourmet Paper! They bake up beautifully and hold color and design with just one liner. I am not showing the other striped papers I used from another company not to be mentioned! They turned out greasy and the crust burnt. So, I highly recommend Sutton Gourmet Paper! Order online at www.suttongourmetpaper.com