Tami, I think that could work. Since you have until June, there's plenty of time to test run the recipe and see how it works for you. If you need to make improvements or changes you can. How sweet of you to want to do this.

I would probably invest in some mini-cheesecake pans with push up bottoms, instead of using liners. (I think the cheesecake sticking to the liner could be quite a mess to eat.) If you baked the cheesecakes and served them in loose muffin papers instead, that could work as part of the service/presentation. I know there is a recipe included with the Norpro pan which would give you accurate baking times.

Here is a link that might be useful: Mini Cheesecake Pan

I butter the pans well and put in some crumbs...graham cracker, ground nuts, or chocolate teddy grahams, put some in shake it around and dump the excess.
then almost fill with cheese cake batter...I also sue the new york style....and bake...no worrying abhout water bath. bakew at 350 until just beginning rto brown...8 to 10 minutes, ands test one to see if it's set....don't want to ovefr bake.
Cool, dump out of the pan adn wile and re bitter and make some more.
My recipe uses 3 half pound pkges of cheese....eggs and sugar, forgetr how much....but that makes about 5 dozen!!
Linda C

I agree, it'll work with muffin cups. I've seen cheesecakes made in mini muffin cups too, with a single gingersnap or vanilla wafer or oreo as the bottom crust.

Skip the bain marie (water bath) and just bake them without and if I were going to use muffin pan liners, I think I'd go with the foil/metal type, they seem to release the cheesecake batter more easily.

Good luck, what a nice thing to do. And congratulations to the couple, 50 years is quite an accomplishment.

Annie

Oh boy!!!! Linda, if your recipe makes about 5 dozen, I better cut ours in half! DS's full recipe calls for 3 POUNDS of cream cheese!

He was afraid of the cone shape of the mini muffin tins. He took two years of baking and pastry in high school but has only done a little since graduation, as he couldn't get a job doing it. Needless to say, he's out of practice and unsure of changing things so drastically.

These are pretty special people to us. I first met him when I was working for a car dealership. He was our district rep. He would come to the area and about mid week would be our turn for his visit. He would say "Wanna go out tonight?" Answer was always "You bet!" DH, who was my BF at the time, worked afternoon shift. We would go meet him for his lunch, our supper, have a few drinks together after DH went back to work, go back to the motel & call his wife. I only knew her by phone for 3 years! The first time I met her in person, it was like meeting my mother and best friend all in one. We have all been "family" since I first met him at work. They will do anything for anyone. We have a parking spot for the motor home in thier driveway, with an electric outlet, anytime we want to go to Michigan. We will take it up for the weekend when we go for the party in June. There isn't anything I can think of to buy them, but I can contribute to their special day. And of course, there will be willing hands available to help them set up and tear down!

Thanks for the advice. I will certainly be experimenting before June! Besides, making them this size will MAYBE keep me from eating too much of it. I can put most of them in the freezer and nibble as the craving hits without having to over eat such a rich cheesecake. If we make one the usual way, I eat until I almost get sick on it, because it makes so much. I have cut the recipe in half, and if I don't want to make the crust, I can cheat and buy an extral large ready made graham crust, which will just hold a half recipe.

Tami

Tami, you might not want this recipe, but the cook time, etc may help.

1 package vanilla wafers
2 - 8 oz packages cream cheese
3/4 cup white sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 can cherry pie filling

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line miniature muffin tins with miniature paper liners.

Crush the vanilla wafers, and place 1/2 teaspoon of the crushed vanilla wafers into each paper cup.

In a mixing bowl, beat cream cheese, sugar, eggs and vanilla until light and fluffy. Fill each miniature muffin liner with this mixture, almost to the top.

Bake for 15 minutes. Cool. Top with a teaspoonful of cherry pie filling.

makes 48 miniÂs

I'll vouch for LindaC's cheesecake! We tested several recipes for my mom's 65th birthday a couple of years ago and Linda's won....hands down!

Use the parchment muffin liners.......they don't stick to anything!! In fact, they almost fall off cupcakes before you want them to!

Have you thought about hiring a local photographer as a gift to them? Probably something they wouldn't do for themselves, but it would be nice to commemorate the occasion.

Deanna

Dirtgirl, thanks for the recipe. I may give it a try.

Deanna, thanks for the recommendation on Linda's cheese cake. As to the local photographer, that is already covered, as my daughter will be going, and she IS a photograher! I'm sure that will be her gift.

Tami