Individual Orange and Chocolate Cheesecakes

Cook Time: 45 min
Level: Intermediate
Yield: 6 servings

Ingredients

* 1/3 cup finely crushed chocolate wafers
* 2 tablespoons butter, melted
* 1/4 cup ricotta cheese
* 2 ounces cream cheese
* 1/4 cup sugar, plus 2 tablespoons
* 1 orange, zested
* 1 egg
* Butter, for greasing

Directions

Special equipment: mini muffin tin

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Combine the crushed chocolate wafers and the melted butter. Place a
tightly packed teaspoon of the wafer mixture into each mini-muffin cup
and press down firmly.

In a food processor combine the ricotta cheese, cream cheese, 1/4 cup
of the sugar, half of the orange zest, and the egg. Blend until
smooth. Lightly grease the sides of the mini muffin tin with butter.
Fill the cups with about 1 1/2 tablespoons of the cheesecake mixture.
Place the mini muffin tin in a baking dish and pour enough hot water
in the baking dish to come halfway up the sides of the mini muffin
tin. Bake for 25 minutes. Transfer the mini muffin tin to a wire rack
and let cool for 30 minutes. Refrigerate for 15 minutes. Use a small
knife to gently pop the cheesecakes out of the cups.

Just before serving, combine the remaining orange zest with the
remaining 2 tablespoons of sugar. Top each individual cheesecake with
about 1/4 teaspoon of the orange zest mixture and serve.

From: foodnetwork.com