Dulce de Leche Cheesecake

 Dulce de Leche Cheesecake

 
To make two 4 inch diameter cakes.

For the cheesecake filling:
1 cups cream cheese
1/2 cup cajeta or  dulce de leche
2 eggs

For the crumb crust:
3/4 cup plain cookies
2 tablespoons butter


Preheat your oven to 350F.
Prepare your baking rings or spring-form pans: Cover the base of the spring-form pan with a sheet of baking paper, and close the pan around the paper and the base.

Prepare the crust: Blend the cookies and butter in a food processor. Dump into the pans, and pack into an even layer with a spoon or your fingers.

Prepare the filling: Beat together the dulce de leche, cream cheese and eggs. Pour into the pans.

Bake the cakes: Bake 4-inch cakes for 30 minutes. Cover with tinfoil after the first 10 minutes to keep the top from browning. (I completely forgot about covering with foil.  That along with my fast oven, it had a lot of cracking.)

After baking time is done, let cool for 30 minutes to an hour in the oven, with the door cracked open. Once cakes are cool enough to handle, remove from the oven and let cool completely to room temperature. (The slow cooling process keeps the cheesecakes from cracking on top.)

Once the cakes are cool, remove the sides of the spring-form pan.  I made a simple blackberry sauce by boiling blackberries with a little water and sugar.  Thickened with a cornstarch slurry and added a squeeze of lemon.  It was so good without being really sweet.

I know these look like cherries!  Honest, they are cooked blackberries.  I prefer blackberries when they are cooked rather than fresh.

Half of this recipe is definitely enough for 2 people.