Learning Early: Recipe: Chocolate Cookies and Cream Cheesecake Cupcakes

I came back to work today after taking some time off after last week's turmoil. My colleagues have been great, although the majority of them don't know why I was off. Regardless, I wanted to bring something into the office as a private"thank you" to the team.

And what is a better way to show your appreciation than with cake. And possibly with chocolate. Oh, and cream... Okay, so I went a bit crazy.

Chocolate Cookies and Cream Cheesecake Cupcakes

Ingredients

Makes 15 approx

For the cheesecake-topping-goodness:
450gm soft cream cheese
100gm caster sugar
2 eggs (whisked)
1 tsp vanilla essence
150ml sour cream
12 mini chocolate bars (yes you can eat the rest of the packet...)

For the base:
20 Oreos
30gm butter (melted)
1 tablespoon caster sugar

Put paper cases into muffin tin
Grab your nearest heavy object and smash the Oreos into dust (or if you'd rather use a food processor - I'm a bash-it-with-a-rolling-pin type of girl), pour melted butter on tablespoon of caster sugar into smashed-up chocolate biscuit and mix. Press into base of paper cases and pop to one side.
In another bowl mix together cream cheese and caster sugar until smooth. Add vanilla essence and whisked eggs slowly - mix until combined, and then add sour cream. Mix some more.
Chop up chocolate bars into teeny tiny pieces (try not to eat them...). I used a combination of mini Twix and mini Mars bars for extra variety (it also meant I had to buy two bags, guaranteeing spares!), and stir into the mix.
Carefully put the cheesecake mix into the paper cases onto of the Oreo base - try not to over-fill as the cheesecakes will rise a little bit in the oven.
Pop into a 200 degree oven for 30minutes, or until firm.
Leave to cool and set in the fridge for 6 hours.
Scoff.