15 March 2011

Mini Maple Walnut Cheesecakes for the Top 9 Tea Party

Mini Maple Walnut Cheesecakes

Foodbuzz and Electrolux have partnered to host a Top 9 Tea Party Takeover on Friday, March 25th. For theirTea Party, they hope you will share your perfect tea party recipes. For every recipe submitted by a Featured Publisher Foodbuzz will donate $50 to one of my favourite charities the Ovarian Cancer Research Fund. Electrolux has committed to donate $750,000 to this worthy cause.

For my tea party recipe I decided to make mini cheesecakes that celebrate Spring and a new beginning. The first thing I think of when I dream of Spring is not asparagus or rhubarb but maple syrup! Growing up in Southern Ontario the one thing that was constant was our annual trip to the sugar bush in early Spring. There are few smells as sweet as the aromas coming from a rustic, wood-planked sugarhouse, with the one possible exception being the maple-walnut-stuffed French toast I sometimes served on Sundays.

One in every 67 women is at risk of developing ovarian cancer. These are high odds and the startling truth is that the symptoms of ovarian cancer are often vague and subtle, making it difficult to diagnose. These can include bloating, pelvic and/or abdominal pain, difficulty eating or feeling full quickly, and urinary symptoms (urgency or frequency).  Because of this, patients are usually diagnosed in advanced stages and only 45% survive longer than five years. Only 19% of cases are caught before the cancer has spread beyond the ovary to the pelvic region. When ovarian cancer is detected and treated early on, the five-year survival rate is greater than 92%. Hats of to Electolux and Foodbuzz for creating this event to bring attention to such a worthy cause.

This recipe makes twelve 1-inch cheesecakes perfect for a tea party dessert tray. What other minis would I serve at a Tea Party from the pages of More Than Burnt Toast?

Barbecued Spiced Lamb Sliders
Marinated Caprese on a Stick
Windowpane Potato Chips
Turkey and Trimming Pinwheels
Sliders with Tomato Aioli
Kofta Sliders with Lemon Mint Sauce
Crab Cake Sliders with Lemon Remoulade
Hot-Sour-Salty-Sweet Thai Sliders ....I think I like sliders:D


**Mini Maple Walnut Cheesecakes**
adapted from a recipe from Canadian Living

1 cup (250 mL) walnut halves
3 tbsp (45 mL) packed dark brown sugar
2 tbsp (25 mL) butter, melted

Filling:

1 pkg (8 oz/250 g) cream cheese, softened
1/3 cup (75 mL) medium maple syrup or amber maple syrup
1 tsp (5 mL) vanilla
1 egg
2 tbsp (25 mL) all-purpose flour

Candied Walnuts:

3 tbsp (45 mL) granulated sugar
3 tbsp (45 mL) maple syrup
12 walnut halves

In food processor, finely chop walnuts with brown sugar; pulse in butter. Press over bottoms of 4-oz (125 mL) mini-cheesecake cups. Bake in centre of 350°F (180°C) oven until golden at edges, about 12 minutes; let cool on rack.

Filling: Meanwhile, in large bowl, beat cream cheese until fluffy; gradually beat in syrup and vanilla until smooth. Beat in egg and flour, scraping down bowl as necessary. Pour about 3 tbsp (50 mL) over each base.

Bake in centre of 325°F (160°C) oven until edges are set but centres still jiggle slightly, about 15 minutes. Let cool on rack. Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours or until set. (Make-ahead: Refrigerate for up to 2 days.)

Candied Walnuts: Meanwhile, line rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper; set aside.

Place sugar in small bowl. Pour maple syrup into separate small bowl. Dip each walnut in maple syrup; scrape off any excess and roll in sugar to coat. Place, top side down, on prepared pan

Bake in 325°F (160°C) oven, turning once, until bubbly and nuts are deep golden, about 15 minutes. Let cool on baking sheet. (Make-ahead: Store in airtight container for up to 3 days.) Press walnut onto each cheesecake.

Makes 12/1-inch cheesecakes.

You are reading this post on More Than Burnt Toast at http://morethanburnttoast.blogspot.com. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to the author and or owner of More Than Burnt Toast. All rights reserved by Valerie Harrison. Best Blogger Tips

56 comments:

  1. I bet those are divine!

    Cheers,

    Rosa

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  2. These look absolutely delicious and perfect.

    I love baking for a great cause.

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  3. Val I adore these mini cheesecakes! look delicious! gloria

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  4. I hope I'm invited. :)

    These are very nice but I was happy to be reminded of those wonderful window pane chips!

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  5. Beautiful little tidbits....the look yummy!

    Barb

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  6. How lovely. Now something that looks that good might yet make a tea drinker of me. It is a lovely recipe, Val. Have a great day. Blessings...Mary

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  7. A fine cause...baking for goodness!

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  8. Maple reminds me of fall, only because it goes so well with pumpkin and apple! But cheesecake is a year-round treat!

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  9. Gorgeous mini dessert for such a wonderful cause!

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  10. You've really got my attention with these mini cheesecakes. I've made a wonderful maple cheesecake a few times with pecan nuts in the base so I know for sure that I would LOVE these. Maple syrup has such a distinctive taste and I find it so delicious.

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  11. Ovarian cancer is SUCH a terrible thing and is the killer of so many women because it is diagnosed so late! These maple cheesecakes are so cute and feel quite springlike to me...mainly because they put a spring in my step at the thought of them!

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  12. How pretty! And they benefit a very important cause.

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  13. Neat presentation....sounds delicious..
    first time here...awesome space you have with rich collection of recipes..
    happy to follow u..
    do stop by mine sometime..:)
    Tasty appetite

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  14. What stunning little cheesecakes Val. Perfect for a tea party. Tea parties always remind me of little girl's dolls sitting around a table pretending to sip tea and eat cucumber sandwiches.

    You have created a far more sophisticated party than for little girls. Bring on the big hats and high heels.
    Sam

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  15. Yay. Finally after years of dealing with a "Tea Party" in American politics I am finally once again hearing about a tea party I can get behind!

    I always wanted to host a tea party, but never really found the occasion. I always imagined what my savories would be, but oddly enough never considered the sweets. Mini cheesecakes would always be a winner.

    Loved reading your perspective on maple syrup and the beginning of spring.

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  16. Those are so darling, Val! :-) I especially love the sparkly candied walnuts on top. :-)

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  17. Those look like delicious little cheesecakes, Val. What a wonderful idea! I adore tea parties! And for such an important cause, too.

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  18. I love mini desserts, they're so much fun. Your cheesecakes look positively scrumptious!

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  19. Lovely Val - that's quite a mini menu. Your tea party would be a super success for sure. Kudos to you for participating in such a worthwhile cause. Good luck for Top 9!
    LL

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  20. These look adorable! And the candied walnuts look so, so delicious :) Perfect idea!

    Sues

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  21. Hey Val, this looks so delish!I too love maple syrup:)

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  22. So cute Val and def for a great cause!

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  23. These little cheesecakes look very delicious :)

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  24. Beautiful cheesecakes for a beautiful cause.

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  25. Mi piace molto questa tua ricetta, ciao :)

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  26. They look cute and so delicious.

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  27. These are really adorable. I like everything mini.

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  28. They look absolutely stunning, and I can't tell you how much I want one. Love maple and cheesecake. Wonderful combo . . . and for a wonderful cause.

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  29. Those look so cute and yummy. I want to gobble these up!
    *kisses* HH

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  30. What a wonderful cause and equally wonderful mini cheesecakes and perfect recipe from a Canadian ;)

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  31. I love anything with maple syrup. They are so cute! What a great cause Val. Thanks for talking about it.

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  32. Great cause and these maple treats are adorable. :) Great job!

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  33. what a great reason to bake! i've become absolutely obsessed with the taste of maple, and candied walnuts are a stellar garnish! these are masterful, val--well done!

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  34. A great cause Val and such lovely mini cheesecakes - love maple and walnut!

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  35. They are absolutely cute!!

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  36. They are lovely Val. I've got an award for you at my blog. Do drop by and pick it up.

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  37. These looks so delicious! They are perfect for the kind of "tea party" that I like--not political, just plain tasty.

    Best,
    Bonnie

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  38. Mmm! I do love a sweet treat with a good cup of tea! These are perfect for the season! The sap is running in New England and the sugar shacks are cranking out the syrup!

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  39. Val...I so rarely use the word 'mouthwatering'...and yet, that's all I could think of from seeing the photo. The thought got sealed with the list of ingredients. Too scrumptious!
    Book marked and in a special folder ;o)

    Flavourful wishes,
    Claudia

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  40. Cheesecake is the cake for any day. Maybe because it's so easy to adapt. You can totally serve these mini ones up to anybody, and they'll enjoy. Plus, you're doing this for a great cause!

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  41. Hello fellow British Columbia blogger :-) Thanks for stopping by my blog last week - even bigger thanks because it gave me a chance to come by yours and I am blown away!

    Love your recipes, love everything and look forward to getting to know you, your blog, and your recipes :-)

    Lyndsay from Vancouver Island

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  42. I always associate maple syrup with the fall; thanks for reminding me that it really is a spring ingredient at heart. love your cheesecakes; maple and walnut are such a great pair.

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  43. OH Val,
    Cheesecake is just one of my many downfalls and these look incredibly delicious-there aren't enough days in my lifetime for my "have to bake list", thanks for helping me add another one !

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  44. And I found both asparagus and rhubarb at the markets today! Love your cheesecakes... I can get real, Canadian maple syrup here... Bet you didn't know that ;-)

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  45. Mini-cheesecakes . . . what a wonderful idea for a tea party! I agree, maple dripping from trees is a symbol of spring! Hope you win this Foodbuzz challenge and for a very good cause, Val!!!!

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  46. Oh yum, those do look good Val :)

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  47. It's so awesome to see a walnut cheesecake! I don't see that often, but sometimes I just crave the flavor of walnuts. Such a pretty little dessert.

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  48. What a wonderful idea for such a great cause. You've chosen the perfect treat, too. Anything with maple is a fave around here. I've always wanted to see how the sugaring process goes -- syruping? Haha! You know ;)

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  49. These sound amazing! I just love the maple syrup with the walnuts, and of course I love cheesecake!

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  50. What beautiful little mini cakes for a lovely cause. YUM. Again, I am slow and catching up...and am missing these yummy treats!
    :)
    Valerie

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  51. Maple goes so well in cheesecake and I am liking that 2 bite size!

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  52. I made these the other night and everyone absolutely loved them; I've gotten more than one request for the recipe. Can I just say that this is probably the best cheesecake recipe I've come across, and I will continue to refer to it for cheesecake of all flavours, replacing the maple with whatever I choose.

    I did make a few amendments, namely: Pecans replaced walnuts in both my crust and topper, I added a few crushed graham crackers and some more butter to the crust, and I used a tsp of imitation maple extract in the filling.

    Thank you for the great recipe!

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    1. I am happy that you enjoyed them Stephie. A recipe is only a guideline so I am sure your changes complimented.

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    2. Question: Do you think that the recipe would hold up if I replaced the maple syrup with melted chocolate so as to make chocolate cheesecakes? It's just that I liked the recipe so much, but I need to make chocolate cheesecake. I know, I know, "baking is science" - but what are your thoughts?

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  53. These look so yummy! I'm going to make them for my husband's birthday next week. I do have one question, though. In the ingredients for the candied walnuts it says "3 tbsp (45 mL) maple syrup", but the instructions say "Dip each walnut in corn syrup". Is it supposed to be maple syrup or corn syrup? Thanks!

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    Replies
    1. It is definitely maple syrup Angie. Thank you for pointing that out.

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Welcome to my home. Thank you for choosing to stay a while and for sharing our lives through food. I appreciate all your support, comments, suggestions, and daily encouragement.

Val

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