Passover Coconut Cheesecake Bites

Barbara Gold

Food Editor's Notes:  This recipe is one of the winners of our 2007 Passover Recipe Contest!  These "bites" are delicious, easy to make, and really pretty.  They are like mini cheesecake tarts with a coconut-based crust.  With each bite you get crunchy coconut-butter flavor with a creamy cheese filling and a sweet burst of fruit.  These can be served to the fanciest company or be a special treat at a coffee break.  And when I say easy to make, I really mean it.  It took 20 minutes from crumbling the macaroons to taking the pans out of the oven, and I used only one bowl for mixing both the crust and the filling.  Store the cooled bites in the refrigerator until ready to serve.

Ingredients

1 cup crumbled coconut macaroons, lightly packed

3 tablespoons butter, melted

1 8-ounce brick cream cheese

1/4 cup sugar

1 egg

1 teaspoon vanilla

Fresh raspberries, blueberries, or other fruit for topping

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line mini-muffin pans with paper liners.

Beat macaroon crumbs and melted butter together until smooth.  Press a bit into the bottom of each liner.  Bake for approximately 10 minutes until golden brown.  Cool slightly.

While the crusts are baking, beat together the cream cheese and sugar until smooth.  Add egg and vanilla.  Spoon over crusts and bake about 8 minutes, until just set.  Remove from oven and cool completely.  Top with fruit if desired.  Store in the refrigerator.

Makes 2 dozen.

The Food Editor discovered these wonderful Passover treats at a Hadassah meeting and Barbara Gold was generous enough to share her recipe with ShalomBoston.com.