Dark Chocolate Elderberry Cheesecake Minis

Dark Chocolate Elderberry Cheesecake Minis feature the rich and decadent flavor of dark chocolate and the deep berry flavor of our Elderberry Jam. While our recipe calls for Pepperidge Farm Double Dark Chocolate Milano cookies for the crust, a gluten free cookie could be substituted to create a scrumptious gluten free dessert. This recipe makes enough for 12 cheesecake minis, and each mini is plenty for one person, or if you are in a sharing mood, one cheesecake mini will make two people very happy!

Directions

1. Heat oven to 325 degrees F
2. Place the Double Dark Chocolate Milano cookies in a food processor and pulse until cookies are the texture of a course meal.
3. Melt the tablespoon of butter and add it to the cookie crumbs and pulse a couple more times until well combined.
4. Press two to three teaspoons of the cookie crumb mixture into the bottoms of 12 paper-lined muffin cups and bake for 8 minutes.
5. Remove muffin tin from the oven and allow to cool.
6. Beat cream cheese, 1/2 cup of sugar and 1/4 cup of unsweetened cocoa in a medium bowl with an electric mixer until well combined.
7. Melt dark chocolate bar in a double boiler stirring occasionally until fully melted. You can also melt the chocolate in a glass bowl by placing it in microwave oven for 30-60 seconds.
8. Add the melted dark chocolate to the cream cheese mixture and mix with the electric mixer until just combined.
9. Place the Elderberry Jam in a small saucepan and heat over low heat until thin.  Spoon two teaspoons of elderberry jam on top of each cookie crust.
10. Spoon two to three tablespoons of the dark chocolate cheesecake mixture on top of the jam, filling the cup to just below the rim.
11. Bake for 22-25 minutes or until centers are almost set. Remove from the oven, cool completely and then refrigerate for 2 hours.
12. To serve, remove the paper liner from the cheesecake mini and place the cheesecake mini on a plate. Top each cheesecake mini with a small dollop of whipped cream, a few sliced almonds and a couple pomegranate seeds and serve.