Heart Shaped Cheesecakes

Yesterday I decided to break out the heart shaped spring form pans that I bought at Target several years ago. I had never used them and decided that it was time. I searched through several cheesecake recipes looking for just the right one and finally gave up and made up my own. I took a bit from one recipe, a bit from another, and then put my own spin on it.

I started out by making a chocolate wafer cookie crust. I attempted to divide the crust crumbs evenly between my three heart-shaped pans. I thought that the three heart pans would hold about the same amount of cheesecake as a normal cheesecake pan. I was wrong. Even though I made thick crusts I still had crumbs left over. I pulled out a couple of ramekins and baked a couple of extra crusts.

Next, I prepared the batter. Since this cheesecake was for my sweetheart on Valentine's day I decided to forgo the reduced-guilt route and made a super rich cheesecake, complete with full-fat cream cheese, sour cream and whipping cream...yeah, oh so good! I filled up my heart shaped pans first and still had a ton of batter left. I worked on the next two ramekins that had crust...still had a ton of batter. I ended up using every single ramekin that I own!

Bunches of Baking Cheesecakes

A Heart-Shaped Cheesecake, Cooling

All sorts of ramekins filled with cheesecake

The finished product, just before we devoured it last night

Yep, that's right. We celebrated Valentine's day a day early since Les has to work tonight. We savored our cheesecake with a bottle of Prosecco (Italian sparkling wine). We had a great evening. Les even made me a homemade card! It was so sweet!

In case you want to make something similar, here is my recipe:

Reese's Peanut Butter Cup Cheesecake

Crust

• 1.5 c chocolate wafer cookie crumbs
• 3 tbsp butter - melted
• 2 tbsp sugar

Filling

• 3 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese
• 1 cup white sugar
• 1 cup sour cream
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 3 eggs
• 1 package REESE'S Premier Baking Pieces Milk Chocolate filled with Peanut Butter Créme

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F . In 9x3 springform pan, combine cookie crumbs, melted butter, and sugar; stir with fork until evenly moistened. With hand, press mexture firmly onto bottom of pan. Bake 10 minutes. Cook completely in pan on wire rack.
2. In a large bowl, beat cream cheese and sugar together until smooth. Beat in sour cream and heavy cream. Blend in the flour and vanilla. With mixer on low speed, add eggs one at a time. Fold in Reese's Baking Pieces. Pour batter over crust.
3. Bake in the preheated oven for 60 to 70 minutes, or until center is almost set (filling will be soft). Refrigerate at least 6 hours or overnight before removing from pan.

Happy Valentine's Day!

----------------
Now playing: Josh Groban - You're Still You
via FoxyTunes