Mini Apple Almond Streusel Cheesecakes
Enjoy tea time with these delectable mini cheesecakes.
Each layer has it's own wonderful flavor and texture.
Recipe: Prep: 1 hr and 30 min Yields: 24 cheesecakes
Bottom crust:
1 cup organic almond meal or ground almonds
1 cup organic whole wheat flour - chemical free
1/2 cup organic coconut sugar
2 tsp. organic ground ginger
2 tsp. organic cardamom
1/2 cup organic butter - melted
Filling:
3 packages (8oz) cream cheese
3 pastured or organic eggs
1 cup organic coconut sugar
4 tsp. or a long dash of organic vanilla extract
1 tbsp. pumpkin pie spice
2 tbsp. organic cornstarch
Streusel:
3/4 cup organic almond meal or ground almonds
1/2 cup organic whole wheat flour - chemical free
1/2 cup organic coconut sugar
1 1/2 tsp. organic ground ginger
2 1/2 tsp. Ceylon cinnamon
5 - 6 tbsp. organic butter - melted
3 small organic apples - cored and finely diced (do not peel)
24 muffin cups
Place the paper muffin cups into stainless steel muffin pans.
Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
In a medium mixing bowl, add the crust ingredients and mix well
with a fork, until incorporated into a crumb mixture.
Divide between the 24 muffin cups and press into the bottoms.
Bake for 5 minutes. Remove from oven to cool.
Raise temperature in oven to 350 degrees.
In a food processor, add the cream cheese and blend for about
2 minutes to smooth out some. Add the eggs, one at a time as
you blend. Then add in the spices, coconut sugar, and vanilla.
Using a rubber spatula, wipe sides and blend again, then add
in the cornstarch and blend well.
Pour into the muffin cups, on top of the crust - about 3/4 full.
Make sure there is room for the apples and streusel.
In the same bowl as the crust was mixed, add in the streusel ingredients
and blend well.
On each muffin cup, add about 1 tbsp. of diced apples. After all are
finished, then divide any extra that is left amongst them. Press them
down some into the filling.
Then do the same with the streusel. Press down a little.
Note: You may have a little streusel left over. I put mine into a baggie
and put into the refrigerator for another purpose, which I usually find
easy enough to add to another recipe.
Bake for 25-30 minutes. Then remove and let cool. Enjoy!
Tips: The cheesecakes will expand during cooking and lift up and out
some, but don't worry. After you pull them from the oven, they will
deflate some and all will settle down nicely.
If your house is cool, then these can cool down on the counter for several
hours. We were able to enjoy ours after 3 hours at room temperature -
which I like. My family had been eyeing them since they left the oven :)
But if you like yours cold, then you can refrigerate for several hours or
overnight.
