Lemon Ricotta Cheesecake Cupcakes

Ingredients

For the Crust:

1. 1 cup Graham Crackers, pulsed into crumbs
2. 3 tablespoons Granulated Sugar
3. 1/4 teaspoon Kosher Salt
4. 3 and 1/2 Tablespoons Unsalted Butter, melted

For the Ricotta Cheesecake Filling:

1. 12 ounces Full-Fat Cream Cheese, very soft (use brick-style cream cheese for best results)
2. 1/2 cup Whole Milk Ricotta Cheese, at room temperature
3. 3/4 cup Granulated Sugar
4. 1 teaspoons Pure Vanilla Extract
5. 2 large Eggs plus 1 Egg Yolk, at room temperature
6. 1 and 1/2 Tablespoons All-purpose Flour
7. 1/3 cup fresh lemon juice
8. 1 teaspoon Fresh Lemon Zest

1/2 cup lemon curd

Instructions

Preheat oven to 325 degrees (F). Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners, lightly spray liners with non-stick spray and set aside.

For the Crust:

1. In the body of a blender or food processor, combine graham crackers, sugar, and salt; pulse until the crackers have been completely transformed into fine crumbs. 
2. Add melted butter; stir well to combine. 
3. Add 1 heaping tablespoonful to each lined muffin cup. 
4. Press the crust firmly into an even layer. Bake in preheated oven 5 minutes then remove from oven and set aside to cool. In the meantime, make your filling.

For the Ricotta Cheesecake Filling:

1. In the body of a high power blender, food processor, stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, or in a large bowl using a hand held mixer, beat the softened cream cheese and Ricotta cheese until smooth. 
2. Add sugar and vanilla and beat smooth, scraping down the sides and bottom of bowl as needed. Add in the eggs and yolk and beat until combined. 
3. Turn the mixer off and, using a rubber spatula, gently stir in the flour, mixing just until combined. Stir in the lemon juice and zest, mixing just until it's incorporated in the batter.
4.  Divide the filling evenly among cups - pouring it on top of the prepared crust layer - adding about 1/3 cup to each mold. 
5. The molds will be very full. 
6. Gently wiggle the pan back and forth to level the cheesecake filling. Bake in preheated oven for 22 to 24 minutes, or until cupcakes are puffed, set at the edges, and just a little jiggly in the center. Turn oven OFF and cool cheesecakes inside the oven, with the door cracked, for 5 minutes, before removing. 
7. Cool cheesecake cupcakes in the pan, placed on top of a cooling rack, completely, before transferring them to the refrigerator to chill for at least 4 hours. Once cool, top each cheesecake cupcake with a teaspoon of lemon curd. Store in the refrigerator, in an airtight container, until needed. Cheesecakes will keep for 5 days.

For more detail bakerbynature

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