Lemon Curd Cheesecakes with Snickerdoodle Crust

1. Preheat oven to 350 F. Line a 12-count cupcake pan with cupcake liners. In a medium sized bowl mix together the snickerdoodle crumbs and melted butter. Scoop about 1 tablespoon of the mixture into each cupcake liner. Pack the crumbs into the bottom of the liner with the back of your spoon. Bake for 10 minutes, remove from oven then set aside. Lower oven temperature to 325 F.

2. In a larger sized bowl add the softened cream cheese and sugar. Cream them together using a hand mixer or you can do this in a stand mixer. Once combined and creamy, add the lemon curd, vanilla, eggs and milk. Blend until smooth and creamy, about 2 minutes.

3. Boil water for the water bath you will need when cooking the cheesecakes. While waiting for the water to boil, spoon the cheesecake mixture into the cupcake liners that contain your pre-baked crust. Fill the liners about 3/4 full. At this point if you would like to make the blueberry variation you would put a teaspoon or so of the jam directly into the center of the cheesecake mixture in the liners.

4. Place the cupcake pan into the oven and make your water bath. You can either place the cupcake pan directly into a larger roaster pan and fill the roaster pan halfway with the boiling water or (like I do) you can place a sheet pan on the rack underneath the rack that your cheesecakes are on and fill that halfway with the boiling water. Be careful not to splash yourself.

5. Bake the cheesecakes for 25 minutes. When timer goes off, turn off the oven and let the cakes sit in the oven with the door ajar for about 5 minutes. Then remove the pan from the oven and let cakes cool for at least 20 minutes in the pan. Then move them to a rack and refrigerate. Serve when completely cooled.