This year surprise your guests - instead of making one large cheesecake why not make eight individual cheesecakes with different toppings. Don't worry, ready-made toppings can make this as easy as pie - or cake. You will need eight (7x6cm) mousse rings - available online.
Ingredients:
For the base
300g digestive biscuits, crushed
100g melted unsalted butter + cold to grease
For the cake
1kg cream cheese
250g caster sugar
1 vanilla pod or 2 tbsp good vanilla essence
7 large eggs, beaten
260g sour cream
Method:
● Preheat oven to 140°C. Grease the mousse rings with cold butter and arrange them on one or two baking trays lined with baking parchment.
l Make the base: mix together the biscuits and melted butter and divide it between the rings - flattening it with your hands into each ring.
●In a mixing bowl, mix the cream cheese, sugar and vanilla until the mixture is shiny. Slowly add the eggs and sour cream to make a batter.
● Using a spoon or a piping bag, fill each ring with the batter, until ¾ filled.
● Bake for 15-20 minutes until a skewer inserted in the centre comes out moist.
● Allow to cool for at least 4 hours, or better, overnight.
● When the cakes are fully cool add whatever you fancy. The best way to decorate them is in the rings. Once topped, refrigerate them again for a few hours and remove the mould to serve.
● Try some of these ideas for your toppings: crumbled halva topped with toasted kadaif pastry - toast the pastry for 5 minutes at 180°C until golden; dulche de leche diluted with a little hot water topped with toasted almonds; Nutella diluted with a little hot water and topped with toasted coconut flakes; chopped strawberries; Amarena cherries; apple pie filling topped with toasted chopped pecans; mini meringue drops and raspberry jam; mixed fruits and chopped mint.
