Although I considered many flavor combinations, I kept coming back to one of my favorite things, passionfruit. It was becoming a theme for the weekend, so I decided to use passionfruit pulp to flavor the tall and creamy cheesecake as well.
Since I had a few desserts hanging around my house, I chose to make a couple of minis for today. Here is where I may have gone wrong and need some of you mini-experts to help me out. I quartered the recipe since that just seemed the easier way and I set out to follow the directions as written. I have realized something about myself, I cook and bake by sight and not so much by real directions. So in making the cheesecake, I chose to time myself. When it said beat for 4 minutes, I did that. When it said, add sugar and beat 4 more minutes, I did.
And that’s where things went wrong. Very wrong. The batter separated and looked curdled and watery. So tell me, when you mini-experts bake things, do you adjust the beating and mixing times? Is that where I went wrong? If it isn’t, it may be the new Peruvian made cream cheese I tried to use instead of Philadelphia…it felt a bit waxy, almost like butter instead of cheese.
Anyway, the batter rose like a souffle and caved in terribly before I even removed them from the oven. I admit, the taste wasn’t bad. But it wasn’t tall. And it wasn’t creamy. I am not even sure I could have called it cheesecake.
I will try the recipe again since I love cheesecake and I want to play with some flavor combinations. Maybe next time I will use Philadelphia and bake a full version so as to not upset things again.
I made the crust from crushed animal crackers since I had them in the house. To make the passionfruit version, I added a small amount of passionfruit pulp to the batter after it was mixed together. I filled in the hole with brown sugar whipped cream and topped it with toasted coconut.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Tall & Creamy Cheesecake is being served up for Tuesdays With Dorie. This weeks TWD recipe was chosen by Anne of AnneStrawberry (where you will find this weeks recipe). Enjoy more Tall & Creamy Cheesecake by visiting the blogroll at the Tuesdays With Dorie website. Or, see what other goodies we have enjoyed on past weeks!
I made minis to and had a lot of problems. I had more crust then cheesecake and water got in making my crust like baby food! My cheesecake also caved in. Looks like we are kind of in the same boat! Your cheesecake looks delicious and passionfruit was a wonderful addition!
It looks fabulous.
I rarely do mini.
I like to eat.
Your cheesecake looks delicious! I made a mini and a regular size so I didn’t alter the ingredient quantities and I didn’t have any problems with the structure of the cheesecake. Maybe it was your cream cheese?
Oh I love passion fruit. It’s expensive here in California, but if they have it in my grocery store, I would just buy it without even thinking about the price.
I think cheesecake is best pair with passion fruit, and yours look so delicious.
Cheers,
Elra
I love the idea of passionfruit in a cheesecake! Could your curdling have been caused by the acidity of the fruit puree? Or maybe it was the cream cheese? It’s so disappointing when you make something time consuming like this and it doesn’t turn out the way you wanted.
I’m sorry it didn’t turn out well for you. I wish I could help. It looks pretty, though!
Sorry it didn’t turn out as well as you wanted. I’ve never tried passionfruit but I really want to.
I would have to guess that it was the cream cheese. Whenever I make half batches or mini’s the only thing I alter in the directions is sometimes the baking time. If the texture of the cream cheese wasn’t what you are used to (like Philly) then I would bet that was the problem. It sounds like the actual cream cheese separated in the batter. It may work if you went by sight instead of timing and mixed it to the consistency that type could handle, but otherwise I would think that was the problem.
Either way, at least it tasted good, right!?
Happy New Year!
Even if it didn’t run out the way you wanted it looks beautiful. In fact it looks like a Pampered Chef Seasons Best cover!
I haven’t done minis so no advice. But, it looks pretty!
très belle présentation
Mine puffed and fell too. I do hope you play with it and find a variation you like. Or else have another recipe you like.
My whole cake indented a bit, but was still delicious. Don’t know why. Some say it was because of the temperature that day. Was it hot, cold, humid, etc? I have heard that could be what causes falling. Your mini’s look great though. Nothing like a little whipped cream to cover up the indentation! Did it taste okay? It could be the fruit. Just like some Jell-o’s don’t set up if you put certain fruits in???
Better luck next time, but they do look great!
Happy New Year!
I don’t tend to adjust mixing times, but my minis rose and caved a lot more than my full-size cheesecake. My guess is that it was the cream cheese – a higher water content (not enough emulsifying fat) might cause it to break. They look adorably delicious though!
You’ve sold me on trying passionfruit next year.
Looks like the perfect size for me. I’m sure it was delicious!
I like this twist a lot versus what others did! Looks fantastic!
-Darius
http://www.everydaycookin.com
I made minis (well you already knew that. haha) and I am not sure why yours caved.
Maybe your cream cheese? How long did you bake them? Maybe you baked them too long? You know I never thought about changing the beating times! Ooops. I just beat for 4 minutes per Dorie’s directions even though I halved the recipe. The only thing I usually change when halving recipes is the ingredient amount and baking times. Don’t worry about it! Nothing some whipped cream and coconut can’t hide/fix! I think your cheesecake looks delish! Def. Twitter. Next week. 
Clara @ iheartfood4thought
I think everything tastes better with passionfruit! Your cheesecake looks tall and creamy and just plain delicious!
sorry it caved in like that
but it still looks beautiful! i love passionfruit, i wish i could find it easily in nyc 
have a happy new year!
Your passionfruit version sounds yummy. My mini cheesecake batter didn’t separate but I find that it’s hard to control the baking time. Anyway, your cheesecake still looks lovely though…
Happy new year!
Christine – Glad I was not alone then.
Chocolatechic – Ha! Not sure if the minis help me not eat though!
Kimberly – Thanks! It may have been.
Elra – I adore passionfruit. Sad to hear that it is costly in CA.
Leslie – I don't think it was the passionfruit that curdled it. It seemed to curdle at the sugar step.
Susan – No worries, it tasted alright.
Erin – Oh, it is a must try!
Holly – Good to know. I bought some philadelphia and I am going to try something else with it to see if there is a difference.
Karen – Oh, thank you!!
Isabelle – Merci!
Rainbowbrown – Thankfully I have done many other cheesecake recipes that I do love, so I will use those next time.
Katrina – Interesting, temperature might affect things? Well I am in the midst of a hot & humid summer.
Engineer Baker – Interesting. I will have to try with a different cheese and see what happens.
Rebecca – Good. Done deal.
Jude – It was a great size and tasted alright in the end. I just know it should have "looked" better.
DTW – Thanks!
CB – I think it may have been the cream cheese. The baking time…they were watery until I pulled them out 90min+ later. She had said 4 minutes for the cheese then 4 more minutes once you add the sugar, that is where things went wrong.
Shari – Everything DOES taste better with passionfruit!
Kim – I wish you could find it there as well since it is the BEST!
Piggy – Thanks!
Kevin – It tasted delicious!
oh no–well, you disguised your issues well, because the mini cake looks fabulous! happy new year!!
They are very pretty and I like how the cheesecake “holds” the whipped cream. I love passion fruit but of course they are not available year round in Missouri. You got some great comments about your outcome and I’m sure they will help the next time around.
Amy Ruth
Yum! I love the minis, and the tartness of the passionfruit balances out the sweetness of the rest very well.