Mini New York Cheesecakes!

This week I made some Mini New York Cheesecakes. The trick to a really smooth, luscious cheesecake filling is sweetened condensed milk. Its so delicious in baked goods and makes for a very creamy texture... but I can't stand eating it plain! A couple years back while I was in Thailand they offered it as a topping for my icecream. Weird? Not to them, but definitely to me! I think I'll stick to using it only in my baked goods. 

Mini NY Cheesecakes:


INGREDIENTS:
2/3 cup graham crackers, crushed
2 TBSP. butter, melted
2 pkgs. (8 oz. each) cream cheese, room temperature
1 (14 oz.) can sweetened condensed milk
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 (14 oz.) can cherry pie filling (or other fruit filling)


DIRECTIONS:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line 12 muffin cups with paper or foil liners.
2. In a medium bowl, mix together the crushed graham crackers and melted butter.
3. Pour a rounded TBSP. of the graham cracker crust into each liner. Press down the crust mixture so its compact. (I like to use the bottom of a glass or measuring cup).
4. Bake the crusts for 5 minutes in the preheated oven.
5. While that is baking, beat the cream cheese, sweetened condensed milk, eggs and vanilla extract together until its smooth. (Make sure the cream cheese is room temp or else you'll get some ugly "cheese chunks"- gross!)
6. Pour the filling into each muffin cup filling it 3/4 full. 
7. Bake at 350 for 18-20 minutes.
8. Chill completely before removing the paper/foil liners and topping with your cherry filling.
9. These will stay creamy and smooth for up to 5 days, but they for sure won't last that long :).