Mini Maple Cherry Cheesecakes

Makes 36 cheesecakes

This petite and delectable dessert is perfect for guests or simply for exercising portion control. Give yourself time, though-you need to let the yogurt sit overnight to thicken and drain.

3½ cups 1% or 2% plain yogurt (no gelatin)
36 prepared and baked mini Graham-Style Wafer Crumb Crusts (see recipe below)
3 large eggs, beaten
1/3 cup pure maple syrup
1 Tbs. plus 2 tsp. cornstarch
2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
1½ cups or one 14 oz. can Bing cherries in light syrup
1 cup water

1. Line large sieve with paper towels, and place it on top of medium bowl. Pour yogurt into strainer, and allow to rest overnight in refrigerator. (Prepare crusts at this time, so they’re ready to use at the same time as the yogurt.)
2. The next day, preheat oven to 325°F. Discard liquid from yogurt and measure 2 cups firmed and thickened yogurt (yogurt cheese) into large bowl. Add eggs, maple syrup, 1 Tbs. cornstarch, and vanilla. Using rotary hand beater, handheld mixer, or immersion blender, beat mixture until well blended. Scoop cheesecake mixture into individual crusts. Bake 13-15 minutes, until cheesecakes are firm. Remove from oven and allow to cool.
3. Meanwhile, in medium saucepan over high heat, combine cherries and their syrup with remaining 2 tsp. cornstarch and 1 cup water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer, stirring constantly, until mixture thickens slightly, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool completely.
4. When cheesecakes and sauce have cooled, chill in refrigerator, 1 hour. Top cheesecakes with cherry syrup to serve.

per cheesecake: 60 cal; 2g pro; 2g fat; 9g carb; 20mg chol; 30mg sod; 1g fiber; 6g sugars

Graham-Style Wafer Crumb Crust

Makes 36 mini-sized cheesecake bottoms
This graham-cracker-like wafer crumb crust makes a delicious gluten-free alternative for cheesecakes. It needs no added sugar because the wafers already taste delicious!

11/3 cups plus 1 Tbs. crushed Graham-Style Wafers (see recipe below)
¼ cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled

1. Preheat oven to 325°F

2. Combine wafer crumbs and butter in medium bowl. Stir with spatula until mixture sticks together. Using your hands, press crumbs into bottoms of mini cheesecake pans.

3. Bake 22-25 minutes, until slightly browned and firm. Allow to cool completely before adding any filling.

Graham-Style Wafers

Makes 4 dozen wafers
Use these wafers as a tasty gluten-free alternative wherever graham crackers are normally used.

1½ cups potato starch, plus additional for rolling
1 cup oat flour
½ cup oat bran
1 Tbs. psyllium husks
1½ tsp. baking powder
½ tsp. baking soda
½ tsp. salt
2/3 cup unsalted butter, softened
½ cup lightly packed brown sugar
¼ cup liquid honey
2 tsp. pure vanilla extract

1. Combine potato starch, oat flour, oat bran, psyllium husks, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl. Whisk together until evenly combined, then set aside.

2. In separate large bowl, beat butter and brown sugar together until smooth. Add honey and vanilla, and mix well. Add dry ingredients in four additions, mixing until fully combined. Divide dough into two balls, flatten into disks, wrap in plastic wrap, and chill in refrigerator for at least 1 hour.

3. Cut a piece of parchment paper to fit the size of one large or two small baking sheets, then remove parchment from baking sheet and dust it with flour. Preheat oven to 350°F.

4. Remove dough from refrigerator and manipulate with your hands to soften slightly if it’s too hard to roll. Place dough on parchment paper, dust it slightly with flour, and use rolling pin to roll it to ¼-inch thick, turning and dusting it occasionally.

5. Use pizza cutter to cut wafers 2½-inches square. Leave cut dough intact (do not separate cut squares) on parchment and place parchment onto baking sheet. Prick each square of dough with a fork two or three times in its center.

6. Bake 15 minutes, or until edge of dough is slightly golden. Remove from oven and recut squares with pizza cutter while still warm. Allow to cool completely on baking sheet.

per serving: 70 cal; 0g pro; 3g fat; 10g carb; 5mg chol; 40mg sod; 1g fiber; 3g sugars