3/4cupground chocolate graham cracker crumbsabout 5 sheets, or 10 squares
1/3cupfinely chopped pecans
2tablespoonsbrown sugar
1/4cupunsalted buttermelted and cooled
Filling
8ozpackage of 1/3 less fat cream cheeseroom temperature
4ozregular cream cheeseroom temperature
1/2cupsugar
1/4teaspoonsalt
1teaspoonvanilla
2largeeggs
1/2cupvanilla yogurt
Caramel
1/4cupunsalted buttercut into cubes
1/2cuppacked brown sugar
1/8teaspoonsalt
1/4cupheavy creamroom temperature
1teaspoonvanilla
Chocolate
3ouncessemisweet chocolatechopped
2tablespoonsunsalted butter
12pecan halvesfor topping
Instructions
Preheat oven to 325. Place bottoms into each cup of the mini cheesecake pan.
Crust
Combine chocolate graham cracker crumbs, finely chopped pecans, brown sugar, and cooled melted butter. Use your fingers to combine well. Spoon a tablespoon plus a teaspoon into bottom of each cup in the pan and press lightly with your fingers. Bake for 5 minutes; remove from oven and set aside.
Filling
Beat cream cheese in a large mixing bowl until creamy. With mixer running, gradually add sugar, salt, and vanilla; beat well. Slowly add in the yogurt followed by the eggs, one at a time, mixing just until blended. Scrape the mixture out of the mixer bowl and into the food processor. Process for about 45 seconds or until silky.
Fill each cup of the pan to just about the top. Bake for 20 minutes, the edges will be dry, the tops of cheesecakes will be puffed and the centers will be a bit jiggly. Turn off the oven and prop open the door and cool in the oven for 30 minutes. Remove from the oven to a cooling arch and cool to room temperature. Refrigerate for 1-2 hours before decorating.
Caramel Topping
To make caramel drizzle, combine the butter cubes, brown sugar, and salt in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir with a wooden spoon then allow the heat to melt the butter. The sugar will begin to melt and bubble. Stir once or twice then check with a candy thermometer. You want the soft ball stage, which is 238 degrees. When this temperature is reached slowly add in the heavy cream while stirring with a wooden spoon. Stir until smooth then remove from heat and stir in the vanilla. Cool.
Chocolate Topping
To make chocolate drizzle, melt 2 tablespoons of butter and the chopped chocolate together in the microwave for one minute. Stir until all the chocolate is melted and mixture is smooth. Cool.
Assembly
To assemble, carefully remove the cheesecakes from the pan. If they are too cold and stuck, use a hair dryer to warm the outside of the pan cups. Line counter with waxed paper and place a cooling rack over the waxed paper. Place the cheesecakes on the cooling rack. Place a pecan in the center of each cheesecake.
Line a drinking glass with a fold top sandwich bag and empty the caramel into the bag. Twist the end of the bag closed and snip off a tiny corner of the bag with scissors. Squeeze out the caramel from the end of the bag and pipe the drizzle onto each cheesecake. Repeat this method with the chocolate. Keep refrigerated until serving.
Be sure to remove the removable pan bottoms from each cheesecake before serving.