Petite Coconut Cheesecakes

We were quests of our cousin living in Menefee for dinner last evening. Rose is a wonderful cook to say the least. Our menu was leg of lamb, roasted asparagus, rosemary potatoes and this delicious lite cheesecake. I would repeat this recipe again and I am not ordinarily a cheesecake aficionado but this was a 5*.

Petite Coconut Cheesecakes

Yield 4 servings

Ingredients:

1 Tablespoon butter, room temperature for greasing cups.

1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, room temperature

1/2 cup sugar

1 large egg

1/4 cup sweetened flaked coconut, plus 1/4 cup for garnish (optional)

Raspberry Tequila Sauce

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Directions:

To toast flaked coconut for optional garnish, place in a pie pan on a baking sheet and place in a 325 oven about 5 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool.

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Grease four 1/2 cup custard cups generously with butter. Set aside.

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Place cream cheese in bowl of electric mixer. Using paddle attachment, beat until creamy. Add sugar and egg and beat until smooth, about 1 minute. Add 1/4 cup flaked coconut and beat until combined. Spoon into prepared custard cups. Place 1 inch of very hot water in 9 inch square baking dish. Place in the middle of preheated oven 35 minutes or until set.

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Remove from oven and let partially cool, about 20 minutes. Run blade of thin knife around edge of each cheesecake. Invert on individual dessert plates. Serve warm topped with raspberry-tequila sauce and serve topped with toasted coconut.

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Raspberry-Tequila Sauce:

Defrost a 10 ounce tub of frozen raspberries in syrup. Process in food processor until pureed in food processor fitted with metal blade. Strain through a medium-fine sieve and add 1 tablespoon tequila. Stir to taste, adding more tequila if desired. Serve over cheesecake, top with toasted coconut.