Raspberry Cheesecake Blossoms

Total Time: 45 mins Preparation Time: 25 mins Cook Time: 20 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 12
• 3 (10 ounce) packages frozen raspberries in light syrup, thawed
• 1/4 cup butter, melted
• 8 sheets phyllo dough (cover with plastic wrap and then a damp kitchen towel to prevent dough from drying out)
• 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
• 1/2 cup cottage cheese
• 1 large egg
• 1/2 cup sugar, plus
• 3 tablespoons sugar, divided
• 4 teaspoons lemon juice, divided
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
• fresh raspberry (to garnish)

Recipe

• 1 drain thawed raspberries in fine-0meshed sieve over 1-cup glass measure. reserve syrup.
• 2 preheat oven to 350°f grease 12 (2 ½ inch) muffin cups.
• 3 brush melted butter onto 1 phyllo sheet. cover with second phyllo sheet; brush with butter. repeat with remaining sheets of phyllo.
• 4 cut stack of phyllo in thirds lengthwise and then in fourths crosswise, to make a total of 12 squares.
• 5 gently fit each stacked square into prepared muffin cup.
• 6 place cream cheese, cottage cheese, egg, 3 tablespoons sugar, 1 tsp lemon juice and vanilla in food processor or blender. process until smooth. divide mixture evenly among muffin cups.
• 7 bake 10 to 15 minutes or until lightly browned.
• 8 carefully remove from muffin cups to wire racks to cool.
• 9 bring reserved raspberry syrup to a boil in small saucepan over medium-high heat.
• 10 cook until reduced to ¾ cup, stirring occasionally.
• 11 place thawed raspberries in food processor or blender. process until smooth.
• 12 press through fine-meshed sieve with back of spoon to remove seeds.
• 13 combine raspberry puree, reduced syrup, remaining ½ cup sugar and 3 tsp lemon juice in small bowl. mix well.
• 14 to serve, spoon raspberry sauce onto 12 dessert plates. place cheesecake blossom on each plate. garnish, if desired, with whole raspberries and mint leaves.