i don't know if it's the Korean in me or if i'm just a brown-noser by nature but i have always been the girl who gifts her teachers, pastors, bosses, doctors, etc. on special occasions. many an eye has been rolled at me because of this but, if you ask me, not only is it nice to show some love to those you depend on, it's also smart! ; )
for Christmas i delivered a box of homemade goodies to my little one's pediatrician and the whole office seemed very thankful that i even thought of them. they were especially grateful for one goodie in particular- the cookies & cream cheesecake cupcakes! *drool* so i whipped up another batch and brought them in when we went in to get our little one's flu shot : ( but seriously, who doesn't love a good Oreo? i've found that most of the time, people will go gaga over anything Oreo. just take any basic dessert and throw in some crushed Oreo pieces. which is what these mini cheesecakes are all about! completely decadent and so very easy. my kinda dessert.
i used Martha's recipe from her wonderful, wonderful book, Cupcakes.
The very first thing that i ever do when i bake is my mise en place, which is just a fancy way to say "gather and prepare all of the ingredients and tools you will need to successfully complete this recipe" in French. ; ) it may sound unnecessary to some but, trust me, it is esssential to be prepared because some recipes are very delicate and need to be taken care of ahead of time. So, in short, respect your ingredients! Also, please always read the entire recipe through before attempting to create anything in your kitchen. one rule about baking that does not apply to cooking: you cannot wing it. so wash and dry all of your measuring cups and spoons, sift your dry ingredients, melt and cool your chocolate, etc. before you get your apron dirty. okay, mini lecture over. : )
to prepare these little bites of heaven, first preheat your oven to a pretty low temp., 275 degrees F. It's best to preheat your oven at least 20-30 minutes before you begin baking.
then line your cupcake tin with your cupcake liner of choice. i used classic white ones because i wanted my Oreos to show when the cupcakes are flipped over like Martha's do. hehe! : ) then drop one whole Oreo cookie into each liner. that will serve as your crust.
with your electric mixer beat the cream cheese until it's smooth. then add the sugar and vanilla. when it's all silky and you're tempted to dip your finger in and sneak a taste, add the beaten eggs (one of the steps you already took care of as part of your mise en place...right??), sour cream, and salt.
Then, the fun part. You get to mix in the chopped Oreos by hand (no, this does not mean you stick your entire fist into the batter and toss around the cookie pieces! you just want an excuse to lick your hand, don't you? i'm on to you!! >:D ). then pour the lovely batter into the prepared pans.
a classic trick when pouring batter into cupcake liners so it doesn't spill out everywhere: pour the batter into a gallon-sized plastic bag with zippers. zip it closed and snip a corner of the bag, using the opening as a spout. fill each cupcake tin to the top and bake. done and done!
normally i make a whipped cream topping and pipe it on top after the cheesecakes have chilled for a few hours and then sprinkle some leftover Oreos on top. it does wonders for the presentation, as if it just stepped out of a bakery. but alas, i ran out of time and wasn't able to do that this time. boo. but my pediatrician and friends didn't seem to mind. neither did my girlfriends, with whom i shared my leftovers.
i think these would look really cute if they were made with the seasonal Oreos that pop out in the stores once in a while. yellow filling for spring, orange for Halloween, red for Christmas, etc. don't be surprised if you see a post about yellow cookies and cream cheesecake cupcakes in a month or two! : )
the recipe is listed below. make it! share it! and keep a few for yourself because you'll be crying for more if you only get to have one! yes, they are that good! enjoy! : )
Martha Stewart's Cookies & Cream Cheesecake Cupcakes
Makes 30
Ingredients:
42 cream-filled sandwich cookies, such as Oreos, 30 left whole, and 12 coarsely chopped
2 pounds cream cheese, room temperature
1 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
4 large eggs, room temperature, lightly beaten
1 cup sour cream
Pinch of salt
1. Preheat oven to 275 degrees. Line standard muffin tins with paper liners. Place 1 whole cookie in the bottom of each lined cup.
2. With an electric mixer on medium high speed, beat cream cheese until smooth, scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Gradually add sugar, and beat until combined. Beat in vanilla.
3. Drizzle in eggs, a bit at a time, beating to combine and scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Beat in sour cream and salt. Stir in chopped cookies by hand.
4. Divide batter evenly among cookie-lined cups, filling each almost to the top. Bake, rotating pan halfway through, until filling is set, about 22 minutes. Transfer to wire racks to cool completely. Refrigerate at least 4 hours (or up to overnight). Remove from tins just before serving.
