I returned to my trip to New York with a serious addiction to cheesecake. While there, I couldn’t have enough of it. Once I was back, I started having serious withdrawal symptoms, I craved for that dense creamy heavenly dessert night and day.

I really had to try to bake one, but the occasion always seemed to escape. If I didn’t have a party or dinner to take it to, or some friends over to share it with, I would easily have ended up eating a whole cheesecake on my own. And we all know why that would be a bad idea!

Addiction is a powerful thing, though, so in the end, I decided to create a miniature New York cheesecake, just for one. Technically, it’s still quite a big portion, so you can share it… But do so at your own risk, as you may end up fighting for the last bite.

The main challenge was to find a mini springform pan. I decided to go all McGyver and improvised by wrapping the bottom of a 9cm metal cooking ring in foil and holding it with a string. It worked out quite nicely.

Mini New York Cheesecake

Crust:
4 digestive biscuits
1 tablespoon butter, melted
2 tablespoons sugar

Filling:
130g full fat cream cheese (like Philadelphia)
50ml of sour cream
90g sugar
1 egg
1/2 tablespoon lemon juice
pinch of salt

Place the biscuits in a plastic bag and crush them with a rolling pin.
Pre-heat the oven to 180º.
Melt the butter in a small sauce pan.
Stir in the biscuit crumbs and the sugar, mix until uniform and press the mixture on the bottom of a 10cm springform pan. Bake for 10 minutes and cool on a wire rack.

In a bowl, soften the cream cheese, stir in the sour cream and the egg and beat until smooth.
Add the sugar, the lemon juice and the salt and mix well.
Pour over the crust and place it back into the still hot oven (200ºC).
Bake for 10 minutes and then reduce the oven temperature to 100º.
Cook it for about 20 minutes more or until it starts to golden slightly. It should still jiggle a bit in the centre.
Let it cool in the oven for an hour, as it will crack if it cools too quickly. When completely cool, refrigerate for a few more hours, preferably overnight.

Top it with strawberry jam, or simply sugared strawberry puree, and sour cream.