These three-tiered Neapolitan Cheesecakes are a great sampler for lovers of sweets. Pictured with Apricot-Orange Thumbprint Cookies.
Neapolitan Cheesecakes
Yield: 12
Ingredients
- ¾ cup chocolate wafer crumbs
- ¾ cup plus 1 tablespoon sugar, divided
- 3 tablespoons salted butter, melted
- 2 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
- 6 tablespoons all-purpose flour, divided
- 2 tablespoons heavy whipping cream
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs
- 3 tablespoons natural unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1½ teaspoons strawberry extract
- 1 drop red food coloring
- Garnish: Sweetened Whipped Cream (see recipe)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°.
- Lightly spray a 12-well mini cheesecake pan with cooking spray.
- In a small bowl, combine chocolate wafer crumbs, 1 tablespoon sugar, and melted butter, stirring to blend. Divide mixture evenly among wells of prepared pan, and press firmly into bottoms.
- Bake for 6 to 7 minutes. Let cool.
- Reduce oven temperature to 325°.
- In a large bowl, combine cream cheese, remaining ¾ cup sugar, 4 tablespoons flour, cream, and vanilla extract. Beat at high speed with a mixer until blended. Add eggs, beating to incorporate.
- Divide mixture evenly among three bowls. Add cocoa powder to one bowl, beating until incorporated. To another bowl, add strawberry extract, red food coloring, and remaining 2 tablespoons flour, beating until incorporated. (You should have a bowl of chocolate batter, a bowl of strawberry batter, and a bowl of vanilla batter.)
- Using a levered 1-tablespoon scoop, drop chocolate batter into each prepared well, leveling with the tip of a spoon. Repeat with strawberry batter and vanilla batter. Tap pan on countertop a few times to further settle batter.
- Bake until tops of cheesecakes are slightly puffed, approximately 10 minutes. Let cool completely. Wrap pan with plastic wrap, and refrigerate overnight before removing cheesecakes from pan.
- Garnish with Sweetened Whipped Cream, if desired.
Notes
Kitchen Tip: Cheesecakes will be easier to remove from pan if frozen. Remove from freezer, and let thaw just enough to push cheesecakes out of pan.
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