Mini Raspberry Swirl Cheesecakes

Pinterest is my new obsession, and I'm not afraid to admit it. When I get in the "pin zone" I could lose hours lost in yummy looking food, or amazing DIY ventures that make me think that I could even be crafty, even though I don't possess a crafty bone in my body.

I have officially tried two recipes off of Pinterest. This next recipe I pinned late at night, and is from the blog Annie's Eats. I love cheesecake, and raspberries are one of my favorite berries, so this recipe creates a match made in heaven. And in little bites so that I'm not tempted to eat the entire cheesecake. Did I mention I LOVE cheesecake?

Raspberry Swirl Cheesecake Cupcakes

Yield: 32 cupcakes

INGREDIENTS

For the crust:
1½ cups graham cracker crumbs
4 tbsp. unsalted butter, melted
3 tbsp. sugar

For the raspberry swirl:
6 oz. fresh raspberries
3 tbsp. sugar

For the filling:
2 lbs. cream cheese, at room temperature
1½ cups sugar
Pinch of salt
1 tsp. vanilla extract
4 large eggs, at room temperature

DIRECTIONS

• Preheat the oven to 325˚ F.  Line cupcake pans with paper liners.  In a small bowl, combine the graham cracker crumbs, melted butter and sugar.  Stir together with a fork until well blended and all the dry ingredients are moistened.  Press 1 tablespoon of the mixture into the bottom of each cupcake liner.  (I found that the bottom of a shot glass is the perfect size for this.) Bake until just set, 5 minutes.  Transfer to a cooling rack.
  
  
• To make the raspberry puree, combine the raspberries and sugar in a blender or food processor.  Process until smooth, then pour through a fine mesh sieve to remove the seeds.
• To make the cheesecake, beat the cream cheese on medium-high speed in the bowl of an electric mixer until fluffy.  Blend in the sugar until smooth.  Mix in the salt and vanilla.  Beat in the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition.
  
  
  
  
  
• To assemble, spoon 3 tablespoons of the cheesecake batter over the crust in each cupcake liner.  Dot a ½ teaspoon of the raspberry puree in a few dots over the cheesecake filling.  Use a toothpick or a wooden skewer to lightly swirl and create a marbled effect.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
• Bake until the filling is set, about 22 minutes, rotating the pans halfway through baking.  (They will look quite puffed initially but will return to normal quickly.)  Transfer to a wire cooling rack and let cool to room temperature.  Transfer to the refrigerator and let chill for at least 4 hours before serving.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Slightly adapted from Annie's Eats