Mini Pumpkin and Chocolate Cheesecakes

In honor of Halloween, I had to bake something black and orange with a pumpkin flavor of course... So here come these delicious mini cheesecakes...

I used the back of my pestle to press the crumbs into a crust.  Just a trick and plenty of treats... Enjoy...

1 cup chocolate wafer crumbs

3 tablespoons sugar

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

½ cup packed brown sugar

¼ teaspoon and 1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/8 teaspoon ground cloves

1/8 teaspoon ground ginger

A pinch of freshly grated cinnamon

8 ounces light cream cheese, at room temperature

1 large egg

1 large egg yolk

½ cup canned pumpkin puree

½ cup light sour cream

1 ½ tablespoons brown sugar

¼ teaspoon vanilla extra

            Preheat the oven to 350ºF.  In a medium bowl, mix together the chocolate wafer crumbs, sugar, and melted butter.  Line mini muffin tins with paper cups.  Fill each cup with a rounded teaspoon of the crumbs.  Press into a flat disk.

In a small bowl, mix ½ cup of the brown sugar and spices together.  In the bowl a food processor fitted with the metal blade, blend the cream cheese until smooth.  Add the spiced brown sugar and mix until very smooth.  Add the eggs and process well.  Add the pumpkin puree and mix again.

Transfer this mixture to a 2-cup pyrex glass measuring cup.  Carefully pour the filling into each muffin cup on top of the crust, filling each almost to the top.

Bake for 15 minutes.

            In a small bowl, mix together the sour cream, 1 ½ tablespoons brown sugar and vanilla.

            Remove the cheesecakes from the oven and reduce the oven temperature to 325ºF.

            Spread a small amount of the sour cream mixture over each cheesecake and return to the oven for 5 minutes.

            Let cool slightly and remove from the pan.  Cool completely and refrigerate for up to 2 days or freeze for 1 month.

Makes 36.