Recipe #22 - Mini Marble Cheesecakes

It was a co-workers birthday, so I ventured out and tried another new recipe from my OREO With a Twist Cookbook. For starters, let me make a statement that I don't eat cheesecake. I don't like the texture. If I'm not sure whether or not I should chew something, I usually don't eat it. Now, with that being said, I loved these, but more on that later...

Ingredients:
*24 OREOs, divided (The recipe calls for regular, next time, I'm using Double Stuf)
*2 8oz packages of cream cheese, softened
*1/2 cup sugar
*2 eggs
*1 tsp vanilla extract
*2 ounces semisweet chocolate, melted, cooled

Line muffin pan with muffin pan cups, and place 1 OREO at the bottom of each cup (16 total). Beat cream cheese, sugar, eggs and vanilla in a large bowl with an electric mixer at medium speed until the mixture is smooth. Set aside 1/2 cup of batter. Spoon the remaining mixture even into the 16 prepared muffin cups.

Mix the extra 1/2 cup of batter with the melted chocolate. Spoon a small amount (about a teaspoon) onto the center of the previously filled muffin cups. Swirl the batters together to create a marbled effect. The original recipe says to use a knife, but I used a toothpick.

Bake at 350* for 20 to 25 minutes or until filling is set and slightly puffed. I baked these in my convection oven, at 325*, and 20 minutes was too long to cook them, just FYI. Next time, I'll probably check on them at around 17 minutes. Cool then refrigerate until time to serve. Garnish the mini cheesecakes with the remaining OREOs.

The reason I loved these so much was because the OREO in the bottom didn't get very soggy - it just barely softened. With that being said, though, one OREO was not big enough to take up the entire bottom of the cup. I kind of wonder if large crumbles of OREOs would hold together well enough so that there could be more OREOs that take up the entire bottom. I guess anything that allows me to eat more OREOs is fine by me... :)

Happy Baking! TTFN!