Easy Microwave Cheesecakes for Two

You know that feeling when you’re snuggled up on the sofa on a Friday night after a long week and a sudden sweet craving hits you? You search your freezer, fridge and cupboards but nothing appeals.

Nope – it’s going to have to be a home-baked treat. But you can’t mess around pre-heating the oven, waiting for chocolate to melt in double boilers, greasing baking trays or any of that nonsense. That’s where these cheesecakes come in.

 I was sat at home last Friday night when I was suddenly hit with a cheesecake craving. I’d been looking at microwave mug cakes earlier in the day and thought ‘microwave cheesecake – why not?’

There are only two of us living at home, so two tiny individual portions of cheesecake was perfect for us. The fact that it took minimal effort and minimal time – most time was spent waiting for the dessert to cool down – was also ideal.

I really love this microwave cheesecake. It doesn’t taste exactly like an oven-baked cheesecake, but hey – it takes 3 minutes to cook in the microwave and less than 5 minutes to prep! The taste and texture are similar, but not quite as firm or as fluffy as an oven-baked cheesecake. My Official Treat Taster wasn’t as keen as I was, but he finished off his ramekin and kept giving mine sideways glances and puppy eyes.

Using different ramekin sizes and microwave settings will give you different results, so you’ll have to experiment. (That is just a round-a-bout excuse as to why you get to eat a lot of cheesecake.) My round ramekins were about 3” wide and I had a bit of cheesecake filling left over, so you may want to try slightly larger ramekins.

Easy Microwave Cheesecakes for Two

Ingredients

4 tablespoons cookie crumbs

2 tablespoons butter

1/2 cup cream cheese (full fat or light – your choice!)

4 tablespoons cream

1 teaspoon vanilla essence

¼ cup powdered sugar

1 egg

Topping of choice – jam, chocolate, peanut butter, Nutella, fresh fruit...

Recipe

1. Melt the butter and pour it into a small bowl with the cookie crumbs. Mix well until all the liquid has been absorbed. Divide the cookie mix into 2 small ramekins and press down to form the base. Cook in the microwave on medium for about 1 minute or until puffy.

2. In a separate bowl, whisk together the cream cheese, cream, vanilla, powdered sugar and egg until light and fluffy. Scoop evenly into the ramekins and cook in the microwave on medium for 2 minutes or until the edges are fully set but the middle is still a bit wobbly.

3. Leave to cool slightly before placing in the fridge for around 2 hours to fully set. Sprinkle on the topping of your choice and grab a spoon.

Go, on then. Since it’s Friday and you’ve worked so hard this week you can eat them both.

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Lemon Cheesecake Popsicles

We're well into July and I still can't get over spring-themed lemon recipes. Summer berries are great, but they just don't do it for me - unless they're dropped into a fancy cocktail. 

With most places suffering through temperatures of 100F+, frozen desserts are definitely the way forward. These Lemon Cheesecake Popsicles take less than 5 minutes to whip together and are ready to eat after around an hour in the freezer - the perfect dessert to make on a scorching summer's day.

I made one big popsicle, but you could easily divide the mixture into several smaller ones for sharing.

Ingredients

2 tablespoons lemon curd - try one of these recipes

1/2 cup Greek yoghurt

2 tablespoons cream cheese - light or ordinary

3 tablespoons powdered sugar

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1/2 teaspoon vanilla essence

2 tablespoons melted white chocolate, cooled

2 tablespoons crushed cookie crumbs

Recipe

1. Dollop the lemon curd in the bottom of your popsicle mould.

2. Beat together the Greek yoghurt, cream cheese, sugar, lemon juice and vanilla essence. Spoon ontop of the lemon curd

3. Pour the white chocolate on top and sprinkle with crushed cookie crumbs.

Enjoy a simple healthy dessert on your own or - if you're feeling generous enough - share with someone else.

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White Chocolate Cookie Dough Cheesecake with a Chocolate Chip Cookie Crust

Happy 4th of July! Although I’m not American and don’t reside in the US, I thought I’d jump on the bandwagon and celebrate American Independence Day. And what better way to celebrate a US holiday than with a dessert which incorporates cookie dough and chocolate chip cookies?

I’ve had this recipe sat in my to-post list for quite some time now but never got round to it because the images are –ahem– lacking in the pretty department. 

See what I mean?

But you’re just going to have to trust me on this one. This cheesecake has definitely been one of my favourites. The traditional crust studded with chocolate chips guards the fluffy, delicate filling which is laced with a creamy white chocolate and hides the childish yet decadent cookie dough balls resulting in a great big plate of yum. 

Now get away from the computer, grab a cool drink and go enjoy your 4th of July celebrations!

White Chocolate Cookie Dough Cheesecake with a Chocolate Chip Cookie Crust

Ingredients

Crust:

½ cup crushed cookies

¼ cup melted butter

¼ cup chocolate chips

Filling:

1 cup cream cheese (softened and at room temp)

½ cup sugar

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla essence

½ + 2/3 cup white chocolate chunks/chips

Enough cookie dough to make 12 cookies

Recipe

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F/175°C and add the melted butter to the crushed cookies and stir until the butter has been absorbed. Fold the chocolate chips in and press into the base of your cake tin. Bake for around 15 minutes until the crust just begins to turn a darker brown.

2. Beat the cream cheese, sugar and eggs together. Separately melt ½ cup white chocolate and stir into the cheesecake filling with the vanilla essence. Fold in 2/3 cup of white chocolate chunks/chips and pour the filling on top of the crust.

3. After whipping up your favourite cookie dough, separate it into 12 balls and drop them into the cheesecake mix wherever you like – you can add them randomly or create a pattern around the edge.

4. Bake for around 35 minutes or until the edges are set but the centre is still a little wobbly. Remove to a wire rack and leave to cool completely before slicing and eating.

It may not look like it but any recipe that includes chocolate chip cookies or cookie dough so counts as a 4th of July dessert.

Here are the link parties I take part in.

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Strawberry Cheesecake Tart

Strawberry Cheesecake Tart - all the smooth, creamy, rich goodness of a cheesecake complemented by sweet, buttery pastry and a velvety chocolate ganache. What's not to like?

Excuse the sharp, jagged centre. I froze the tart to speed-up setting time!

Summer's almost here and  in Tenerife the shops and markets are already piling up punnets of fresh, juicy strawberries just waiting to be smashed with ice and made into strawberry margaritas, delicately chopped and placed on top of a delightful pavlova, or finely sliced and used to decorate this fresh Strawberry Cheesecake Tart. 

I love cheesecake and can't get enough of it, but my Official Treat Taster can take it or leave it. Some things he would give his left and right arms for, though, are buttery, flaky pastry and sweet, ruby-red strawberries. Combine all of that with one of my favourite things to make with chocolate - ganache - and I was on to a winning recipe.

Be warned - when you make this tart, you won't be able to stop and just one piece. There are only two of us at home, so every time we had just a small slice each, the rest of the tart would be sitting on the counter, watching and waiting for us to come back for "just one more slice". 

It was never just one more slice.

Strawberry Cheesecake Tart

Ingredients

Crust

100g flour

Pinch of salt

50g sugar

25g butter, cubed

25g lard, cubed

2tbsp cold water

Chocolate Ganache

100g chocolate

80g cream

Filling

250g cream cheese

200g icing sugar

1tsp vanilla extract

Strawberries sliced length-ways

Recipe

1. Begin by making the crust. Preheat the oven to 180C (355F) and combine the flour, salt and sugar. Add the butter and lard and rub in with your fingers until the mix resembles breadcrumbs. 

2. Starting off with just 1tbsp, pour in tiny amounts of water and mix until a good dough forms.

3. Knead the dough for a few minutes on a lightly-floured surface before rolling out to about a 1cm thickness. Sprinkle flour over your tart pan then cover it with your dough. Trim the edges and try to make it as neat as possible.

4. Blind bake the tart crust for 20 minutes or until golden-brown.

5. Whilst the crust is baking, make the chocolate ganache. Break the chocolate into squares and place them in a bowl.

6. Heat the cream in a saucepan over a medium heat and pour over the chocolate when the cream begins to boil. Leave for 5 minutes before mixing together well.

7. Spread the chocolate ganache over the base of the tart and refrigerate until set.

8. To make the filling, mix together the cream cheese, icing sugar and vanilla extract. Spread on top of the chocolate ganache and top with the sliced strawberries.



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Strawberry Cheesecake Bites

I love cheesecake – who doesn’t? The crumbly, buttery digestive base and thick, creamy topping is enough to make anyone’s knees go weak. But even though this dessert is so divine, it’s a bit too rich and calorie-packed to eat every day.

These strawberry cheesecake bites are a great alternative to a slice of cheesecake and taste just as good – without the guilt. In some aspects, they're even better than a cheesecake - there is no baking or refrigeration needed, so you can fulfil that cheesecake craving in only a couple of minutes.

This is a really versatile recipe and can easily be doubled or even tripled for parties. You can experiment with different cheesecake fillings – try a decadent chocolate filling or wrap the whole thing up with a strawberry filling!

Strawberry Cheesecake Bites

Ingredients

10 strawberries

3tbsp cream cheese

6tbsp icing sugar

2tsp vanilla essence

Digestives

Recipe

1. Chop the top off each strawberry and scoop the centre out so you’re left with a bowl shape.

2. Beat the cream cheese until smooth then mix in the icing sugar and vanilla essence. Divide this mixture evenly between the strawberry bowls.

3. Take around 2 digestives and crush them using a food processor or by placing them inside a plastic bag and bashing them with a rolling pin.

4. Dip the open top of the filled strawberries into the crushed digestives.

Smoked Salmon Cheesecake

I love smoked salmon, don’t you? One of my all-time favourite breakfast dishes is a warm, crunchy onion bagel coated in herb-packed cream cheese and topped with layers of delicate smoked salmon. This cheesecake almost tops that.

If you’re tempted to add more lemon juice or zest to this recipe – don’t! This amount is perfect to provide a zingy, sharp bite to the otherwise smooth and laid-back topping of the cheesecake. 

Ingredients

85g crackers

100g butter

3tbsp parsley

2 eggs

225g cream cheese

Zest and juice of ½ a lemon

180ml double cream

20g gelatine

170g chopped smoked salmon

Recipe

1. Grease a round cake tin and crush the crackers into breadcrumbs using a food processor or by placing them in a bag and bashing them with a rolling pin. 

2. Melt the butter in the microwave and pour into the crackers. Add the parsley and mix well. Press into the bottom of the cake tin and place in the fridge to set.

3. Separate the eggs and put the yolks in a bowl with the cream cheese, lemon zest and juice, salmon, and cream. Beat together until smooth.

4. Dissolve the gelatine in around 4tbsp of warm water before folding into the cheesecake mixture. 

5. Beat the egg whites separately until they form stiff peaks and gently fold into the filling. 

6. Pour this mixture onto the cheesecake base and smooth the top with a spatula. 

Place in the fridge for several hours before serving. 

New York Cheesecake

I absolutely love cheesecake. The crumbly digestive base combines with the smooth, creamy soft cheese topping so well. Even on its own its fantastic, but add a layer of berries, fruit, chocolate or even After Eights on top and it becomes something magical.

The only cheesecakes I tried before this were the no-bake kind. During a fair quite a few months ago, I tasted a traditional Canarian baked cheesecake with blueberries and it was amazing. It was that experience which inspired me to try a baked cheesecake - more specifically a New York cheesecake from Joyofbaking.

This recipe made around 20 small portions which are perfect for wrapping in cling film and freezing.

Ingredients

Base

200g crushed Digestive biscuits

60g sugar

110g melted butter

Filling

500g cream cheese

100g sugar

10g flour

2 eggs

40ml cream

1 tsp vanilla extract

Topping

240ml sour cream

30g sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

Recipe

1. Grease a loose-bottomed cake tin and preheat the oven to 170C.

2. Mix the Digestive crumbs, sugar and melted butter in a bowl. Press evenly into the bottom and up the sides of the cake tin. Cover and refrigerate whilst making the filling.

3. Combine the cream cheese, sugar and flour in a medium bowl. Do not over-mix as this will cause your cheesecake to crack. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each. At the cream and vanilla and mix gently. Remove the cake tin from the fridge and pour in the filling. 

4. Bake the cheesecake in the centre of the oven for 15 minutes, before reducing the temperature to 120C. Continue to bake in the cooler oven for around 60 minutes, or until firm and only the centre appears to be wet and wobbly. Remove from the oven and place on a wire rack.

5. In another bowl, combine the sour cream, sugar and vanilla. Spread the topping over the warm cheesecake and return to the oven to bake for a final 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and run a knife around the edge to loosen the cheesecake. This step also prevents the surface from cracking.

6. Let cool completely before covering with cling film and placing in the freezer overnight. 

Strawberry Cheesecake Ice Cream

Next in my ongoing mission to find the yummiest ice cream - strawberry cheescake! I considered adding some crushed biscuit crumbs to this recipe, but I've experienced terrible textures of ice creams which claim to be biscuit flavoured - so I opted out. Instead, I decided to add small chunks of white chocolate which worked perfectly. The strawberry flavour in this ice cream wasn't very powerful - maybe try increasing the strawberry sauce if you try it.

This recipe makes enough ice cream for six portions.

Ingredients

230ml milk
250ml cream
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
115g cream cheese, room temperature
3 egg yolks
100g granulated white sugar
50ml strawberry puree

Recipe

1. In a small saucepan, over medium-high heat, bring the milk and cream to the scalding point (the milk begins to foam up). Remove from heat.

2. Beat the cream cheese, egg yolks and sugar until light and fluffy. 

3. Gradually pour the scalding milk and cream into the whipped egg yolk mixture, making sure you keep whisking constantly so the eggs do not curdle.

4. Place the bowl over a saucepan of simmering water and, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, cook until the custard thickens enough that it coats the back of a spoon.

5. Immediately remove the custard from the heat and continue to stir the custard for a few minutes so it does not overcook. At this point stir in the vanilla extract and the strawberry sauce. 

6. Cover and let cool to room temperature before placing in the fridge for around 12 hours.

7. Place in the freezer for two hours and remove to break up any bits that are frozen. Continue to remove from the freezer every hour for at least two hours to mix the ice cream to ensure a smooth and silky texture.