Cheese Cake Pots, 2 ways (LC, GF, SF)

                                      
These little pots of cheese cake heaven are already portioned and oh so decadent. Quite unlike other baked cheese cakes, these turn out light and airy, even though they are baked!
Since the basic crust and cheese cake filling are the same, I am posting 2 versions for you. Today I actually made both by simply making the crust and the cream cheese filling for one full recipe but only half for the strawberry part and half for the peanut part.
The beauty of the separate pots is that it not only provides a cute way to serve these delicious desserts, but it makes the whole water bath baking and storing in the fridge thing so much easier. Not to mention the possibility that you could make 12 different variations of cheese cakes by just using the basic filling and crust recipe and then letting your imagination go wild!
I LOVE recipes where one effort can get you many different variations on the theme!

Strawberry Cheese Cake Pots

Serves 12

Ingredients

• 1 pound strawberries, hulled
• 3 tablespoons sugar substitute 

Filling:

• 1 cup plus 3 tablespoons sugar substitute (I used Ideal and liquid stevia)
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
• 1 pound plus 13 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
• 2 large eggs, room temperature
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 8 1/4 ounces mascarpone cheese, room temperature

For the crust:

• 1 cup blanched almond meal, packed
• 1/2 cup pecan meal, packed
• 1 tbsp. vanilla or unflavored whey protein powder
• 1 little pack of Truvia
• 2 tbsp.. granular erythritol, powdered
• 3 tbsp. butter, melted
• ½ tsp. vanilla
• pinch of sea salt

Finely grated chocolate for garnish (optional)
12   8-oz. canning jars with lids. (1/2 pint wide mouth)

Directions

Set cream cheese, eggs and mascarpone out on the counter for 2 hours to reach room temperature.

1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Place strawberries in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet. Sprinkle with the sweetener and toss gently to coat. Bake until strawberries turn deep red and shrink slightly, about 1 hour 30 minutes. Transfer strawberries and syrup to a medium bowl, and mash with a potato masher. Let cool completely.
2. Raise oven temperature to 350 degrees.  Stir together the dry crust ingredients with a whisk. Mix with the melted butter and vanilla extract to form a dough. Divide the crust mix evenly between the jars and press mixture into the bottoms of the canning jars to make an even layer. Place the jars into a large roasting pan and bake until crust has slightly darkened, about 8 minutes.
3. Reduce oven temperature to 325 degrees. Put cream cheese into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment; mix on medium-low speed until creamy, about 2 minutes. Scrape down sides of bowl, then gradually add sweetener and the salt. Scrape down sides of bowl; add eggs, 1 at a time, mixing well after each addition. Scrape down sides of bowl, and mix in vanilla  and mascarpone until very creamy and no lumps remain, about 3 minutes.
4. Transfer 5 cups cream cheese mixture to bowl with mashed strawberries; stir to combine. Pour strawberry-cream cheese mixture on top of crusts; smooth with a spoon or by gently tapping the jars against your counter. Carefully spoon dollops of plain cream cheese mixture on top, smoothing with a spoon.
5. Close each jar with the metal lids and set back in the roasting pan. Place the roasting pan and jars back in the oven. Fill roasting pan with boiling water until water reaches halfway up the sides of the jars.  Bake cheesecake until set, about 45 minutes.
6. Remove jars from water bath, and let cool.  DO NOT open the jars straight away. They will be under pressure and very hot and everything may just come busting out! Let them sit for at least 1 hr. before opening! Better yet, wait until they have been in the refrigerator for at least 2 hrs. The vacuum that the lid created during baking helps to keep the cheesecake light and airy.
7. Refrigerate until cold, at least 2-3 hours (or overnight). Unopened these will keep for quite a while as the jar created an air tight seal! I can’t tell you how long however, since ours never seem to make past a few days - they just mysteriously disappear!

 

Tips and suggestions:
- You could omit the crust completely to save on carbs.
- You could place the fruit mix in the bottom of the jar, omitting the crust, then top with the plain cream cheese mix, then lid and bake for a yummy “fruit in the bottom” cheese cake dessert! Again, if you’re doing this, the strawberries can be used hot - no need to cool them down first!
- You could use regular or frozen strawberries, cooked down with 3 tbsp. of sweetener in a non-stick pan and omit the oven roasting method.
- You can use any kind of nuts you prefer for the crust!
- You can use any kind of other fruit - doesn’t have to be strawberry! If you are using sour fruit however, remember to adjust your sweeteners!
- If you are using store bought Mascarpone your carb count will be significantly higher. The homemade is pretty much 0g of carbs (since everything that has carbs in it is in the liquid that drips out,) but the store bought tends to have fillers and additives that can run quite high!
- You could leave the cream cheese mixture plain and spoon the strawberries over the top before closing the jars to bake (like I did in this last batch - see picture!) If you are doing that, the strawberries don’t have to be completely cool!
- You can make this as one large cheese cake. In that case use a Spring form pan and make sure you double wrap it with tin foil before placing it in the water bath! Increase baking time to 1 hr. and 30 minutes.
- You could reserve the fruit and only add it after the cheese cake soufflé is baked. In that case, add 1/4 tsp of xanthan gum to your fruit mix.
- You could use sugar-free pie filling to top the cheese cake and dispense with the strawberries all together.

Peanut butter and Chocolate Cheese Cake Pots

Serves 12

Ingredients

• 1 cup plus 3 tablespoons sugar substitute (I used Ideal and liquid stevia)
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
• 1 pound plus 13 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
• 2 large eggs, room temperature
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 8 1/4 ounces mascarpone cheese, room temperature
• 1/2 cup of natural no-stir or extra smooth peanut butter

For the crust:

• 1 cup blanched almond meal, packed
• 1/2 cup roasted peanut meal, packed
• 1 tbsp. vanilla or unflavored whey protein powder
• 1 little pack of Truvia
• 2 tsbp. granular erythritol, powdered
• 3 tbsp. butter, melted
• ½ tsp. vanilla
• pinch of sea salt

For the ganache:

• 3.5 ounces Lindt 85% chocolate or other dark sugar-free chocolate
• 3 tablespoons creamy peanut butter (no-stir or extra smooth ground)
• 3 tbsp. heavy whipping cream
• 2 tbsp. coconut oil, OR butter or palm shortening
• 1-2 packets of purevia, or splenda
  

12   8-oz. canning jars with lids. (1/2 pint, wide mouth)

Directions

Set cream cheese, eggs and mascarpone out on the counter for 2 hours to reach room temperature.

1. Preheat oven to  350 degrees. Stir together the dry crust ingredients with a whisk. Mix with the melted butter and vanilla extract to form a dough. Divide the crust mix evenly between the jars and press mixture into the bottoms of the canning jars to make an even layer. Place the jars into a large roasting pan and bake until crust has slightly darkened, about 8 minutes.
2. Reduce oven temperature to 325 degrees. Put cream cheese into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment; mix on medium-high speed until creamy, about 2 minutes. Scrape down sides of bowl, then gradually add sweetener and the salt. Scrape down sides of bowl; add eggs, 1 at a time, mixing well after each addition. Scrape down sides of bowl, and mix in vanilla, peanut butter and mascarpone until very creamy and no lumps remain, about 3 minutes.
3. Spoon cream cheese mixture on top of crusts; smooth with a spoon or by gently tapping the jars against your counter.
4. Close each jar tightly with the metal lids and set back in the roasting pan. Place the roasting pan and jars back in the oven. Fill roasting pan with boiling water until water reaches halfway up the sides of the jars. Bake cheesecake until set, about 55 minutes. Remove jars from water bath, and let cool for at least an hour.
5. For the ganache, melt chocolate, whipping cream, coconut oil and peanut butter in the microwave on HIGH for 35 seconds, stirring until completely melted. Melt for 10 more seconds if necessary. Stir in sweetener with a spatula, smoothing out the chocolate until it is glossy and lump-free.
6. Spread a little over each of the cheesecakes in the jars, smoothing with an offset spatula or spoon and reclose the lids.
7. Refrigerate until cold, at least 2 hours (or overnight).

 

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