Cheesecake for Two is a mini loaf pan cheesecake version of Nigella Lawson’s “London Cheesecake”. It's baked in a 5.75x3 inch loaf pan (mini loaf pan). The crust can be made a few different ways, but I've included two. You can use a few pieces of cookie dough or use a mixture graham crackers and butter.
If you’ve ever made a cheesecake, you know time and temp are both key, so I will preface this by saying the times below are what work for me. The cake is ready when it appears set around the sides but seems a tiny bit wiggly in the center. It will set as it cools and chills. Another clue that it's done is the internal temperature. It should be between 150 and 170 degrees F.
Here’s the picture. Now I need to go dig up a good topping recipe. Update: Here's a recipe for strawberry topping!
Type of Mini Loaf Pan
Since posting this, I've acquired several different types of mini loaf pans. They're all around 5.75x3, but some are ceramic and others are metal. For this recipe, you can use either ceramic or metal. I always line with foil so that I can pull the cheesecakes out, but it might be fun making these in decorative loaf pans without the foil and just serve straight out of the loaf pan.
Cheesecake for Four
Update: I originally made this all in one mini loaf pan, but I recently tried dividing the filling between two pans to make two shallower cakes. I also got rid of the foil lining and just served the cheesecake directly out of the pan. While it's not as photogenic for the blog, the cheesecake baked directly in the decorated seasonal loaf pans make a nicer presentation in real life should you wish to give them as little gifts.
Recipe
Cheesecake for Two
Ingredients
Crust:
- 3 rounds ready-to bake sugar cookie dough or 6 crushed graham crackers mixed with 1 tablespoon melted butter
Middle:
- 6 ¾ oz cream cheese, softened (192 grams)
- 3 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon sugar (41 grams)
- 1 large egg
- 1 large egg yolk
- ½ tablespoon lemon juice
- ½ tablespoon vanilla
Topping:
- ¼ cup sour cream (50 grams)
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- ¼ teaspoon vanilla
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Line inside of a 3x5 ½ inch petite loaf pan with non-stick foil or parchment paper. If making the shallower version, line two.
- If using store-bought cookie dough rounds, press them into bottom of lined pan (or pans) and bake for 15 minutes. If using graham cracker/butter mixture, press into pan but don’t bake.
- In a medium size bowl, beat cream cheese and sugar until well mixed. Add egg and egg yolk and stir until well mixed. Stir in lemon juice and vanilla. Pour this mixture over crust and place loaf pan (or pans) into a larger square pan.
- Pour very warm water into the square pan so that it comes about halfway up sides of loaf pan. Bake on center rack of oven for about 38 minutes.
- While cheesecake bakes, mix together sour cream, sugar and vanilla. Spread this mixture over top of cheesecake and return to oven for 5 minutes. Be careful not to overbake the sour cream topping. 5 minutes is all you need.
- Remove from oven. Lift small pan from water and let cool on a cooling rack for about an hour. Transfer to refrigerator to chill for at least 3 or 4 hours.
- Before serving, grasp foil and lift little cheesecake from loaf pan. Slice in half and plate.
- Makes 2 servings (1 petite loaf pan) Each person gets half. If using two mini loaf pans, you'll have four smaller servings.
Tara says
25 min worked just right in my oven, but my oven tends to be pretty hot. The next thing that's in my head are these silicone ice cube trays I got at IKEA. If they are oven worthy, they would make the cutest cheesecake bites. And then maybe they could be coated in chocolate?! But the oven worthy issue is highly in question.
Anna says
Behind the curve? No way! You are the first one to test this recipe in muffin pans. Thanks so much! Was the cook time the same?
The petite muffin pans hold 2 cups of batter. I guess muffin cups hold somewhere around 1/3 cup. You'd think the bake-time would be 20 minutes or something like that.
Tara says
I know I'm way behind the curve, (this post was so last week)=) But I just tried this recipe, only I put it in a muffin tin. Your recipe filled six paper lined muffin holes(?) perfectly, only there was about twice as much crust as I needed. I baked them for about 25 min, and when they were chilled (in much less time tan a trad. cheescake would), I was able to very easily remove them from their paper for a very nice presentation! And I just loved the sour cream topping! I'm really, really pumped about this small batch cheesecake idea!
Angie says
This is great! Just yesterday I was at this little soup cafe near my house and they had these teensy-tiny cheesecakes in all sorts of flavors (turtle, blueberry, caramel, etc. - I picked turtle -YUM). They were too cute and just the perfect 3 or 4 bites sized! They called them "fundoodles", which I thought was a great name. I've had these on my mind all day and then I came across your awesome recipe. How timely!! I think I'll whip up a batch tomorrow morning. Thanks!
Todd says
Lies! My favorite song is "Space Truckin'" by Deep Purple. 🙂
Tracy says
I love the idea of the mini cheesecakes. A good way to keep from having too much tempting stuff around. Yours looks great!
Andrea says
Oooh, sounds like a keeper! Just adding my thanks for the recipe! I don't think it will need a topping, either.
Anna says
That's Todd's favorite song, E.
Anyway, I was thinking of attaching a song to every dessert recipe. The song would match the dessert somehow. I don't know how to do it. Really, I'm just learning how to use the Internet.
Emiline says
What about sky rockets in flight....afternoon deelight?
Cheesecake for two sounds romantic. Now I just need a boyfriend.
Nah, cheesecake for two will turn into cheesecake for one.
Anna says
DeeLight,
I like your Internet name. It reminds me of that song "Groove is in the Heart" by Deee(with 3 e's)light. I was afraid I'd have that song stuck in my head all day, but I clicked on your URL and thanks, because now it's going to be "I'm Not Going to Write You a Love Song by Sara Bareilles. I saw her in concert. She is just the cutest thing.
I'm going to download that song off iTunes right now.
http://www.sarabmusic.com/
DeeLight says
This sounds fantastic!!! I am soooo going to be trying this, not so much trouble as my traditional recipe. Thanks for sharing.
I enjoyed my visit to your blog.
rebecca says
i love that you're posting a small batch cheesecake recipe, but also that i don't need a mini springform pan to make it! thanks so much for these-- they sound awesome!
Lisa Ernst says
I hope you are going to do a small batch recipe book, I think it would be a hit! I really love the idea of just enough cheesecake for one or two people. Most of the desserts I bake are small size -- I've devised cookie and brownie recipes that are much smaller than usual for the very reason mentioned above.
Cakespy says
I love the small portions thing, and what a great one to make in a smaller portion--as much as I love cheesecake, one slice is ENOUGH!
Anna says
Hi Jessica,
I hope to see more small batch recipe too. It seems like so many people are reluctant to bake because they feel they don[t have the will power to resist 4 dozen whatever-type cookies lying around the house or a whole cake. Maybe more small batch books/recipes will motivate people to bake.
Stefani, first off, I had to look at your blog. I'm going to send some get well wishes to Gus. **Get Well Gus!!**
As for the flour, H.E.B. on Escarpment carries it, so I imagine H.E.B.'s down near you will have it too. If not, you might want to tell the store manager about the product and ask her/him to order it. So many people are interested in whole grains these days and if they only knew how well Eagle Mills worked, well.... Hopefully Eagle Mills will keep spreading the word about their product because this is a no-brainer way to get whole grains.
Stefani says
Hey Hey Anna,
I am simply addicted your website and have been lurking for a while! 🙂 These super cool for 2 cheesecake recipes have compelled me to finally leave a comment. How wonderful and special are these??? Just in time for V-day, too. Love them! And I have many petite loaf pans that are begging for action! 🙂
PS-I am a fellow Austinite and live in the Buda area. Do you know somewhere close to me that I can find the Eagle's Mill whole wheat flour? If not, if you are sure of one store that does...I will make a special trip!
Thanks!
Stefani
Jessica says
I think bakers are going to see a rising demand for small portions. Many treats - giant slices of cake, bottomless bowls of ice cream - force the health-conscious foodie to ruin his or her diet. Small portions obviate those problems.
Way to be ahead of the curve!