Just a Snig

Some of the best things in life are sweet gooey desserts. Sometimes we just need them to be a smaller size so we don't over indulge, but we still feel satisfied.

Mini Raspberry Cheesecakes
Vegetable oil spray 24 plain chocolate wafer cookies, I used a gluten free glutino brand chocolate wafer
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted 8 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature 1/4 cups sugar 2/3 cups creme fraiche (6 ounces), at room temperature 2 large eggs 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract 1/4 cups seedless raspberry preserves, warmed 

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a standard 12-cup muffin pan with foil baking cups and spray the cups with vegetable oil spray. In a food processor, crush the chocolate wafer cookies. Add the butter and process until fine crumbs form. Spoon the chocolate cookie crumbs into the prepared baking cups and press with the bottom of a glass to compact. Bake for 5 minutes, or until almost set. Leave the oven on.
Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, beat the cream cheese and sugar at medium speed until smooth. Beat in the creme fraiche, then add the eggs and vanilla and beat until smooth.
Pour the cheesecake batter into the baking cups, filling them three-quarters full.
Bake the cheesecakes for 15 minutes, or until slightly jiggly in the center. Remove from the oven and spread 1 teaspoon of the warmed raspberry preserves on top of each cheesecake. Transfer the muffin tin to the freezer and chill the cheesecakes until set, about 15 minutes.
Remove the cheesecakes from the pan and peel off the foil baking cups. Transfer the cheesecakes to a platter and serve. The mini black-bottom cheesecakes can be refrigerated for up to 4 days. 



Chocolate Mint Wafers
1 1/2 cup almond flour
2/3 cup coconut flour
3 tbsp tapioca flour
1 cup cocoa powder
1 tsp baking soda (check for GF)
1 tsp sea salt
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 eggs, lightly beaten
2/3 cup butter, or coconut oil, melted


Mint Creme
3/4 cup coconut butter, softened
1/3 cup maple syrup
2 tbsp butter, ghee, or coconut oil, softened
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 tbsp. peppermint extract

Preheat oven to 375. Combine all of the dry ingredients and remove lumps with a spatula or whisk, use a sifter if needed.
Add the lightly beaten eggs and butter and mix well, the cookie dough will be very thick.
Drop the cookie dough onto wax paper or parchment paper and shape into a long log, about 2 inches in diameter. Wrap in the wax paper and put in freezer for at least 2 hours. If log is too long for your freezer, cut in half into two logs.
While the cookie dough hardens, make the mint creme. Mix all of the ingredients together in a small bowl and set aside for filling cookies.
Take cookie dough log out of freezer, and with a sharp knife, cut the cookie log into thin slices, about 1/8 or 1/6 of an inch. Place on parchment lined cookie sheet.
Bake in the over for 10 minutes, rotate the cookie sheet after 5 minutes. Baking times may differ depending on thickness of cookies, they cook very fast, be careful not to burn. Cool on a wire rack or transfer the parchment paper with cookies on it to a cooler surface. Cool completely before adding creme.
Spoon half a tablespoon of creme on each cookie wafer and top with another. They are crunchy, but will soften if stored overnight in a closed container. Store in fridge or freezer for a crunchy, cool treat anytime.

I like to use a cookie cutter that has scalloped edges too. Sometimes it's a little easier to roll out and cut. 


 
Mini Pineapple Upside Down Cakes 
2/3 cup packed brown sugar 
1/3 cup butter, melted 
2 (20 ounce) cans sliced pineapple 
1 (18.25 ounce) package yellow cake mix (I used a gluten free betty crocker mix)
3 eggs 
1/3 cup vegetable oil 
12 maraschino cherries, halved

In a small bowl, combine the brown sugar and butter; mix well. Spoon into 24 greased muffin cups. Drain pineapple, reserving the juice. Trim pineapple to fit the muffin cups; place one ring in each cup.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the cake mix, eggs, oils and 1-1/4 cups of the reserved pineapple juice; mix well. Spoon over pineapple, filling each cup two-thirds full. Bake at 350 degrees F for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
Immediately invert onto wire racks to cool. Place a cherry in the center of each pineapple ring.