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.

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