Now that we are again able to successfully make dulce de leche at home, my mind’s running wild with all the desserts that I can make with it. Trifles, truffles, brownies and blondies… I’m hoping that these mini cheesecakes will only be the first among many dishes that I can create with homemade dulce de leche.
I used day-old plain fudge brownies for the base of these mini cheesecakes. Not for any special reason but just because I wanted to find out if they will make a better base than the usual cookie crumbs. I was so happy to discover that the fudginess of the brownies went so much better with the creaminess of the cheesecake. And because I use dark chocolate for making fudge brownies, the subtle bitterness cut down what could have been the cloying sweetness of the dulce de leche.
Can you imagine the layers of flavor? Slightly bitter dark chocolate, dulce de leche, salty cream cheese…
- 1 cup plain day-old fudge brownies chopped
- 2 tablespoons toasted almonds chopped
- 1 cup dulce de leche
- 3/4 cup cream cheese at room temperature
- 1 egg yolk
- 1/4 cup cream
- 1 pinch salt
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Preheat the oven to 325F.
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Toss together the chopped brownies and almonds. Divide into four equal portions.
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Press one portion into the bottom of an oven-proof ramekin with a 3/4 to one cup capacity. Repeat for the other three portions.
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Beat the cream cheese until light and fluffy. Add 3/4 cup of dulce de leche, egg yolk, cream and salt and beat until smooth.
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Pour the cream cheese mixture equally among the four ramekins. Top with a drop a tablespoonful of the remaining dulce de leche.
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With a toothpick or skewer, swirl the dulce de leche.
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Place the ramekins in an ovenproof dish. Pour in enough boiling water to reach three-quarters of the height of ramekins.
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Bake for 40 minutes at 325F.
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Turn off the oven but do not open. Allow the mini cheesecakes to cool slowly inside the oven for an hour or two.
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Cool to room temperature and chill before serving.
