Cranberry Vanilla Cheesecake Cups

Directions

Cocoa Cookie Crust

1. In a medium bowl, sift together the cocoa powder, oat flour, hazelnut flour, sweet rice flour, tapioca starch, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
2. In the bowl of a stand mixer (our favorite is the KitchenAid® 5-Quart Tilt-Head Artisan® Stand Mixer), beat the butter on medium high speed until light and fluffy. Gradually add the powdered sugar and beat on low until fully incorporated. Add the chocolate and vanilla extracts and beat to combine.
3. With your mixer on low speed, gradually add the dry ingredients to the butter and beat until fully combined. Scrape the sides and beat again for about 30 seconds.
4. Roll the dough between two sheets of parchment paper until it is about ⅛-inch thick and a rectangle. Set the flattened dough, with the parchment paper on a medium baking sheet, we used the Jelly Roll Pan from our KitchenAid® Bakeware Set, and freeze it while you preheat the oven, or about 10 minutes.
5. Preheat the oven to 300°F - ours is the KitchenAid® Gas Convection Slide-In Range.
6. Remove the dough from the freezer and peel off the top layer of parchment paper. Bake cookies for 25 minutes. As soon as you remove them from the heat, score the cookies into 8 squares. Let cool completely while you prepare the compote and cheesecake.
7. Once cool, coarsely crumble the cookies into the bottom of 8 small ramekins.

Vanilla Cheesecake

1. In the bowl of a stand mixer, whisk the whipped cream on high speed until it begins to froth, a couple of minutes.
2. Add powdered sugar and vanilla extract and continue beating until soft peaks form. Transfer the whipped cream to a bowl and set aside.
3. In the same bowl of the stand mixer (no need to clean it) or in a second stand mixer bowl if you have one, add the cream cheese and salt and beat on medium speed until smooth.
4. Fold in the whipped cream.
5. Transfer the cheesecake to a piping bag fitted with a large tip and refrigerate while the cookies and compote cool completely.
6. Pipe the mousse into 8 small ramekins.

Vanilla Bean Cranberry Compote

1. Combine the cranberries, sugar, water, orange peel, and vanilla bean seeds and pod in a medium saucepan over medium heat.
2. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat, and cook, stirring occasionally for about 10 minutes, until the cranberries begin to break down and thicken into a compote (press the cranberries against the edge of the pot with the back of your wooden spoon to help them break down).
3. Once finished, remove the vanilla bean pods and transfer the compote to the food processor and process until smooth.
4. Transfer compote to a heatproof bowl and chill in the refrigerator until cool, or about an hour.
5. Once cool, spoon compote over the top of the cheesecake cups. You may have extra compote – serve it on the side with a spoon or reserve for another use!

This recipe is by Sarah of Snixy Kitchen and Alanna Taylor-Tobin of The Bojon Gourmet.

Check out our how-to video as well!