Ingredients:
- 18 Chocolate Sandwich Biscuits (130 g), finely crushed
- 3 Tbsp Unsalted Butter (45 g), melted
- 24 oz Full-Fat Cream Cheese (680 g), softened
- ½ cup Granulated Sugar (100 g)
- ¼ cup Sour Cream (60 ml), room temperature
- 1 tsp Vanilla Extract (5 ml)
- 2 Large Eggs, room temperature
- 10 Chocolate Sandwich Biscuits (70 g), broken into rough pieces
- ½ cup Double Cream (120 ml) (for optional topping)
- 1 Tbsp Icing Sugar (15 g) (for optional topping)
Instructions:
- Preheat oven to 325°F (160°C). Line a standard 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners.
- Make the Crumb: Crush 18 biscuits finely (using a food processor or manual method). Combine the crushed biscuits with the 3 Tbsp melted butter until the mixture resembles wet sand.
- Form the Crust: Place a rounded tablespoon of the mixture into the bottom of each lined cup. Press firmly using the bottom of a small glass or measuring spoon.
- Pre-Bake: Bake the crusts for 5 minutes. Remove and allow to cool slightly while preparing the filling.
- Start the Batter: In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened cream cheese on low speed until perfectly smooth (about 2 minutes). Scrape down the bowl frequently.
- Add Wet Ingredients: Beat in the sugar, then the sour cream and vanilla extract. Mix until just combined.
- Incorporate Eggs: Add the eggs one at a time, mixing on the lowest speed just until the yellow disappears. Do not over-mix, as this introduces too much air and causes cracking.
- Fold in Cookies: Gently fold in the 10 coarsely chunked biscuits using a spatula.
- Fill the Cups: Evenly distribute the cheesecake batter among the 12 crusts, filling each cup almost to the top.
- Set up the Water Bath: Place the muffin tin inside a larger roasting pan. Carefully pour boiling water into the roasting pan until the water reaches about halfway up the sides of the muffin tin.
- Bake: Carefully transfer the pan to the preheated oven. Bake for 25–30 minutes, or until the edges are set but the centres still have a slight, gentle wobble.
- Cool Gradually: Turn off the oven, prop the door open slightly, and allow the cheesecakes to cool slowly inside the oven for 30 minutes. Remove the pan from the water bath.
- Chill: Cool to room temperature on a wire rack, then transfer to the refrigerator to chill for at least 4 hours, or ideally overnight, until fully set.
- Finishing Touches: Prepare the topping by whipping the double cream and icing sugar until stiff peaks form. Remove the paper liners from the chilled cheesecakes, pipe a small rosette of whipped cream on top, and sprinkle with extra cookie crumbles.