This year Thanksgiving, I am only responsible for preparing desserts. We had 3 other beautiful lady chefs to help out for all Appetizers and main dishes. Therefore, I can focus on making desserts that serve 50 guests. Beside Thanksgiving theme desserts: Gingerbread Pumpkin Trifle and Kabocha (Japanese pumpkin / winter squash) Mont Blanc Cupcakes, I also made this Crème Brûlée Cheesecake Square. This can easily make ahead and I only need to sprinkle sugar and torch it right before serving. Easy to make and it is so Yummy! One of my guest volunteer to torch it for me!
One Bite Crème Brûlée Cheesecake Square
Ingredients (Make around 25-30 one bite size squares)
For the crust:
1 1/4 cups finely crushed graham cracker crumbs (from 9 sheets)
2 Tbsp granulated sugar
6 Tbsp butter, melted (preferably salted)
For the fillings:
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 1/2 Tbsp all-purpose flour
2 (8 oz) pkgs cream cheese, softened
3 large eggs
3 Tbsp heavy cream
3 Tbsp sour cream
1 tsp vanilla extract
6 Tbsp granulated sugar
Directions
For the crust:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Generously butter an 8 by 8-inch baking dish. In a mixing bowl,
whisk together graham cracker crumbs and sugar. Pour in butter and use a fork to mix until
evenly moistened. Press mixture into an even layer in prepared baking dish and bake in
preheated oven for 10 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool while preparing filling.
Reduce oven temperature to 325 degrees.
For the filling:
- In a mixing bowl, whisk together 3/4 cup granulated sugar with the flour.
- Add cream cheese to mixing bowl and using an electric hand mixer set on low speed, blend together cream cheese and granulated sugar mixture just until smooth, about 1 minute.
- Add in eggs one at a time and mix just until combined after each addition.
- Add heavy cream, sour cream and vanilla and blend just until combined.
- Tap bowl forcefully against countertop about 30 times to release air bubbles. Butter the side of the baking dish and pour filling over crust.
- Set the 8 by 8-inch baking dish into a 13 by 9-inch baking dish (a roasting pan would be fine too) and pour about 3 cups of hot water into the 13 by 9-inch baking dish (or enough water to make the water level reach halfway up the sides of the 8 by 8-inch dish. You are only pouring the water into the pan without the cheesecake in it, simply to create a water bath which will help the cheesecake cook more evenly and reduce the possibility of cracking).
- Bake in preheated oven until cheesecake is fairly jiggly, about 42 - 45 minutes, then turn oven off and allow cheesecake to rest in warm oven with door closed about 10 minutes longer or until center only slightly jiggles.
- Remove from oven and allow to cool on a wire rack at room temperature 1 hour, then cover and chill 4 hours.
For the topping:
- Cut bars into squares.
- Sprinkle each square with an even layer of sugar and melt sugar with a culinary torch (it will melt into beads then bubble, then caramelize and turn to a smooth surface).
- Allow topping to cool then pipe or spoon a small dollop of whipped cream over top (optional).
Recipe Sources: Cooking Classy (Creme Brulee Cheesecake Bars)
