Res Hall Recipe: Valentine’s Day cheesecakes

By SARAH NAYLOR

This Valentine’s Day, surprise your special someone with a sweet homemade treat. Every Feb. 14 for the past several years, I have tried out a new dessert recipe to make for the special people in my life. Most of these have been traditional chocolate recipes, but this year I decided to try something new. Cheesecake is one of my boyfriend’s favorite desserts, so I will be making these mini No-Bake Cheesecakes with Raspberry Sauce. They are much easier to make than traditional cheesecakes, but they are every bit as delicious. Plus, the sweet red raspberry sauce makes the cheesecakes so pretty and perfect for Valentine’s Day.

No-Bake Cheesecakes with Raspberry Sauce

Note: Be sure to make these cheesecakes ahead of time, as they need to chill overnight.

Ingredients:

For the cheesecakes:

1 cup graham cracker crumbs

2/3 cup finely chopped walnuts

1/3 cup pure maple syrup

1 teaspoon ground ginger (optional)

6 ounces regular or reduced-fat cream cheese, at room temperature

2/3 cup reduced-fat ricotta cheese

Juice of half a lemon

2 tablespoons natural cane sugar or other light-colored granulated sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For the raspberry sauce:

2 cups raspberries

1/4 cup water

2 tablespoons granulated sugar

Juice of half a lemon

2 teaspoons cornstarch

1 tablespoon water

Directions:

For the cheesecakes:

Line 12 regular muffin cups with paper liners. In a large bowl, stir together the graham cracker crumbs, walnuts, maple syrup and ginger, if using, until everything is covered and mixed well. Add a small amount of additional maple syrup if needed. In a second large bowl, use a fork to stir together the cream cheese, ricotta cheese, lemon juice, sugar and vanilla extract until smooth. Divide the crumb mixture among the prepared muffin cups and press down flat. Divide the cheese mixture among the muffin cups and use a butter knife to smooth the tops. Place the muffin tin in the refrigerator to chill overnight, and then enjoy the next day.

For the raspberry sauce:

Combine the raspberries, water, sugar and lemon juice in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Simmer until the raspberries have broken down (about 10 minutes). In a small bowl, dissolve the cornstarch in the water. Add to the sauce and heat for one minute. Let cool before serving over the cheesecakes.