Description
These Peaches and Hay Mini Cheesecakes with Honey are a delightful twist on the classic cheesecake. Featuring a graham cracker crust, a creamy honey-infused cheesecake filling, and topped with cinnamon-spiced fresh peaches, these mini treats offer a unique flavor profile enhanced by food-grade dried hay steeped in cream. Perfect as an elegant dessert or a special snack, they combine European baking techniques with fresh, natural ingredients for a memorable taste experience.
Ingredients
Scale
Crust
- 1.5 cups graham cracker crumbs
- 0.25 cup granulated sugar
- 0.5 cup unsalted butter, melted
Cheesecake Filling
- 16 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 0.5 cup honey, divided (0.33 cup for batter, remainder for drizzling)
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 0.5 cup heavy cream
- 0.5 cup food-grade dried hay or hay tea leaves
- Pinch of salt
Topping
- 1.5 cups fresh peaches, peeled and finely diced
- 0.5 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Instructions
- Prepare the crust: Preheat the oven to 325°F and line a muffin pan with paper liners. In a bowl, mix the graham cracker crumbs, granulated sugar, and melted butter until fully combined. Press the mixture firmly into the bottom of each liner to form an even crust. Bake for 5 minutes, then remove and let cool.
- Infuse the cream with hay: In a small saucepan, gently heat the heavy cream until warm but not boiling. Add the dried hay, remove the pan from heat, cover, and steep for 20 minutes to infuse flavor. Strain out the hay leaves and allow the cream to cool completely.
- Make the cheesecake batter: In a large bowl, beat the softened cream cheese until smooth and creamy. Add 0.33 cup honey and mix well until combined. Beat in the eggs one at a time to ensure smooth incorporation. Then add the vanilla extract, pinch of salt, and the cooled hay-infused cream. Mix gently to combine into a uniform batter.
- Assemble the cheesecakes: Spoon the cheesecake batter evenly over the pre-baked crusts in the muffin liners. In a separate bowl, toss the diced peaches with the ground cinnamon to coat. Gently spoon the cinnamon-spiced peaches on top of each cheesecake portion, distributing evenly.
- Bake the mini cheesecakes: Place the muffin pan in the preheated oven and bake for 22 to 25 minutes, or until the centers are just set and barely jiggle when nudged. Remove from oven and let cool completely at room temperature.
- Chill and serve: Once cooled, refrigerate the mini cheesecakes for at least 2 hours to firm up. Before serving, drizzle each cheesecake with the remaining honey for added sweetness and shine.
Notes
- Use only culinary-grade hay intended for food or tea use to ensure safety and flavor suitability.
- These mini cheesecakes pair beautifully with warm honey drizzle or a light whipped cream topping for extra indulgence.
