Ingredients

“Graham Cracker” Crust:

• 1/2 cup matzah cake meal
• 1/2 cup potato starch
• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar, divided
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 5 tbsp unsalted butter or pareve Passover margarine, cold
• 2 tbsp brown sugar
• 4 tbsp unsalted butter or pareve Passover margarine, melted

Cheesecake:

• 2 (8-ounce ) packages cream cheese, room temperature
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/4 tsp Kosher salt
• 2 large eggs
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 4 tbsp heavy whipping cream
• 1 tsp Passover Vanilla extract (see Chef’s Note)

• 1 pint raspberries
• 1/4 cup apricot preserves
• 1 tbsp brandy

Instructions

For Crust:

Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a standard 12-count muffin pan with liners.

Place the matzo cake meal, potato starch, 6 tbsp brown sugar, and cinnamon in a processor bowl with the metal blade. Pulse on and off until ingredients are blended. Add the 5 tbsp coldbutter and pulse a few more times until the butter is incorporated into the dry ingredients. Turn out onto the parchment paper.

Press the mixture together to form small lumps. Place the baking sheets on the middle and lower racks in the oven. Bake for 13-15 minutes or until lightly browned, switching the positions of the two sheets after 6 minutes. Let cool.

Place the lumps in a food processor and pulse until finely ground. Add 2 tablespoons brown sugar to the processor and pulse to blend. Melt two tablespoons butter and add to processor. Pulse until the dough starts to cling together.

Press a heaping tablespoon of crust into each liner. Pre-bake for 6 minutes. Cool on rack. Maintain oven temperature.

Filling:

Using a mixer, beat cream cheese in bowl until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Gradually add sugar, then salt; beat until smooth. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Add sour cream, whipping cream and vanilla; beat until well blended. Divide between muffin liners, filling all the way to the top.

Bake until top begins to brown but center still moves lightly when pan is gently shaken, about 20 minutes. Set pan on a wire rack and allow cheesecakes to cool to room temperature for 45 minutes and then cover and transfer to the refrigerator and chill for at least 2 hours and up to 2 days. The cheesecakes will sink slightly as they cool.

Remove the mini cheesecakes from the pan. If desired, remove the liners. Decorate cake tops with raspberries.

Stir preserves and brandy in heavy small saucepan over medium heat until mixture boils. Strain preserves. Brush glaze generously over raspberries, allow some glaze to drip between berries.

Can be made 4 hours ahead. Chill.

Chef’s Note:

Regular vanilla extract isn’t Kosher for Passover as it’s made from grain alcohol. It is possible to find Kosher for Passover vanilla extract.