... Mini Mocha Cheesecakes

Martha Stewart (or, more likely, her awesome team) strikes again with another great recipe from her terrific light cookbook.  Call me crazy, but Mini Mocha Cheesecakes seemed like the perfect addition to our wine club.  Chocolate, wine, great girlfriends... 

... and pureed cottage cheese?  I know, it's weird, but when it comes out looking like this, you'll want to give it a try, too.

Mini Mocha Cheesecakes
makes 9

2 cups nonfat cottage cheese
2 large eggs
1 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tablespoon plus 1 1/2 teaspoons all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons instant espresso powder (not instant coffee)
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
9 chocolate wafer cookies, such as Famous
whipped cream, for serving (optional)

Preheat oven to 275 degrees.  Line 9 cups of a standard muffing tin with paper liners.  In a food processor, combine cottage cheese, eggs, confectioners' sugar, cocoa powder, flour, espresso powder, and vanilla.  Puree until smooth, about 4 minutes, scraping down sides as needed.

Divide mixture among prepared cups, filling each one just below rim, and place 1 cookie on top of each.  Bake until fillings are set and cookies soften, 25 to 30 minutes.  Transfer to a wire rack and let cool completely in pan, then refrigerate (in pan) at least 1 1/2 hours (or up to 3 days, covered).

To serve, invert cheesecakes onto plates and peel off liners.  Top each with a dollop of whipped cream, if desired.

Taylor's Notes:
I was a little leery of this one - pureed cottage cheese? - but after seeing the picture in the cookbook, I had to try it.  I knew my Cellar Dweller girls would be totally honest and, unless I'm wrong about them, they all agreed that it was a keeper of a recipe... especially at 196 calories.  Did you hear that?  196 calories for chocolate cheesecake!


I pureed my cottage cheese in my food processor and it worked great.  I must remember, however, to add a large processor to my wish list.  My mini guy does the trick, but takes a few may rounds to blend all the ingredients.  


As you can probably tell by the picture, I wasn't able to find chocolate wafer cookies, but did find wafer sugar cookies and those worked just as well - the slight crunch was a great change of texture.


Enjoy!