Recipe for Beautiful Delicious Cheesecake Tarts

These delectable desserts are easy to make and are a clean, neat treat for a party or to take with you. My husband loves to take these to the hunting cabin to share with the guys. Once when he gave a plate of them to a fellow hunter to take to the cabin - the plate arrived at the cabin, empty. He said they rarely last longer than an hour or so upon arrival and I usually send a double batch! I have also used them on a tiered display to create an amazing center piece to a desert table at a wedding. By alternating blueberry and cherry topped cakes, these babies create a stunning, mouth-watering display that also tastes just terrific!

Cheesecake Tarts

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

24-30 vanilla wafers

24-30 cup cake papers

2 pkgs. (8 oz each) cream cheese

3 eggs

1/4 cup sugar

1/3 - 1/2 yellow cake mix

1 T. lemon juice - or *substitute

1 tsp. vanilla

1 can cherry or blueberry pie filling

First, place a cup cake paper in several cup cake (muffiin) tins. Its a good idea to prepare about 30 if possible. Some folks only own a tin or two so they will have to do this in stages. Place a vanilla wafer (or other plain cookie) in bottom of each cup cake paper. This will become the bottom crust and actually works really well.

Secondly, you need to soften the cream cheese. If you were able to sit the cream cheese cakes out long enough to warm them then you are ready to proceed. If not, remove them from their foil and place in a dish - pop them into the microwave for about 40 sec. to soften somewhat.

Place the cream cheese in a mixing bowl along with 3 eggs and beat until all lumps are gone and texture is creamy. Add sugar and cream together. Add lemon juice if you have it. *If you don't have lemon juice you can use lemonade powder - about 4 tablespoons, enough to give it a bit of a tart taste which brings out the taste of the cream cheese. If you do this, cut back just a little on the sugar. Now, add a teaspoon of vanilla and about 1/3-1/2 of a yellow cake mix. This helps to set up the cakes for use as cup cakes. I use as close to 1/2 of the cake mix as possible.

Now, its time to load the cup cake papers. Place a loaded tablespoon of mix on top of vanilla wafers already in cup cake papers. Filling will puff up some during baking and then deflate after cooling but you want some room on top for a dollop of pie filling.

Place cup cake tin in oven at 350 degrees for about 20 minutes. They are right for taking out when the tops are lightly browned. Allow them to cool before putting a dollop of pie filling on each.

Enjoy!!!