Salted Caramel Cheesecakes

 photo: Romulo Yanes & Philippa Brathwaite @ myrecipes.com

Salted Caramel Cheesecakes

original recipe: http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/salted-caramel-cheesecakes-50400000125434/

Ingredients:

• 30 vanilla wafers
• 2 tablespoons canola oil
• Cooking spray
• 2/3 cup packed light brown sugar
• 2/3 cup plain fat-free Greek yogurt
• 12 ounces 1/3-less-fat cream cheese, softened
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1/8 teaspoon table salt
• 2 large eggs
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 2 tablespoons water
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1/2 cup evaporated milk
• 3/8 teaspoon flake salt

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 300°.

2. Place cookies in a food processor; process until finely ground crumbs measure about 1 cup. Add oil; pulse to combine. Coat a 12-cup muffin tin well with cooking spray. Spoon about 1 packed tablespoon crumb mixture into each muffin cup; press crumbs firmly into bottom. Bake at 300° for 7 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove from oven; cool.

3. Wipe food processor clean. Place brown sugar, yogurt, and cream cheese in processor; process until smooth. Add vanilla, table salt, and eggs; process until smooth. Spoon about 3 tablespoons batter into each muffin cup. Bake at 300° for 18 minutes or until centers of cheesecakes barely move when pan is touched. Remove pan from oven; cool on a wire rack to room temperature. Cover pan; refrigerate cheesecakes 3 hours or until well chilled.

4. Run a thin knife around outside edge of each cheesecake. Carefully remove cheesecakes from pan; place on a platter. Chill cheesecakes until ready to serve.

5. Combine granulated sugar and 2 tablespoons water in a medium, heavy saucepan over medium-high heat; cook until sugar dissolves, stirring gently as needed to dissolve sugar evenly (about 3 minutes). Continue cooking 12 minutes or until the color of light brown sugar (do not stir). Remove from heat; carefully stir in butter and milk (caramelized sugar will harden and stick to spoon). Place pan over medium-high heat until caramelized sugar melts. Bring to a boil; cook 1 minute. Remove pan from heat; cool caramel to room temperature. Cover and chill 1 hour or until slightly thickened. Spoon about 1 tablespoon caramel over each cheesecake. Sprinkle cheesecakes evenly with flake salt.