Deconstructed Balsamic Cherry Cheese Bites

Do you want to serve a delicious dessert with a cookie crust, a creamy cheese filling and a delicious fruit topping, but don’t have the time, inclination or equipment to bake a cheesecake? Deconstructed Cherry Cheese Bites may be just what you are looking for. This recipe breaks down the elements of an elegant Cherry Cheesecake, and serves them as a fun DIY dessert.

Flavor Inspirations

Long ago I posted a recipe for Honeyed Balsamic Cherry Cheesecake in a Triple Ginger Crust. It was inspired by a trip to Trader Joe’s one February morning. Made from Chèvre with Honey, a Balsamic Cherry Topping and a thick Gingersnap Crust, it makes a lovely little cheesecake that is perfect for sharing with a few close friends. 

While February, with all of its minor holidays, is a month that often sparks my imagination, it is also a great time to break things down and get back to basics. Cheesecakes are delicious but they involve quite a few steps and require extra time to assemble. Is all of that really necessary?

What if you are in a hurry or just don’t want to deal with the fuss? What if you want to try this flavor combination but don’t have the time, inclination or equipment to bake a cheesecake? The DIY approach, featured in my post on Deconstructed Chocolate Truffles can apply here too.

 Taking Cheesecake Back to the Basics

Taking my cue from Jamie Oliver’s Amazing DIY Chocolate Truffles, I thought, “Why not break down that beautiful Cherry Cheesecake in the same way?” The flavors of honey sweetened chèvre, ginger cookies and dark cherries will still come together in a pleasing combination if I concentrate on preparing the Honeyed Balsamic Cherry Topping but skip crushing the cookies into a crust and baking the cheese into a cake. 

Carefully arranged, the elements of this casual dessert make an impressive presentation on their own. The cherries glisten in their honeyed balsamic syrup. The smooth chèvre looks inviting with a golden drizzle of honey on top. A stack of crisp gingersnaps offers a flavorful foundation to build on.

While this DIY arrangement may be somewhat less elegant than a show-stopping Cherry Cheesecake, all of the elements are provided for a great taste experience. And then there is also something to be said for the value of participation as you mix and match and smear and drizzle those elements into delicious Balsamic Cherry Cheese Bites.

More Cheesecake-esque Ideas

The same principles might apply to my Smokey Blue Cheesecake. You can enjoy the drama of presenting Hazelnut Pear Flambé Sauce without making a whole blue cheesecake. Just serve the pear sauce, once the flame is extinguished, in a pretty bowl. Then spoon it on top of shortbread cookies spread with softened cream cheese and a few blue cheese crumbles.

Or serve Oreo cookies with softened cream cheese, instead of an Oreo Cheesecake. Top that with a spoonful of the same ganache used to make Deconstructed Chocolate Truffles. 

The variations are endless. Just take the cues from your favorite cheesecake, sweet or savory. Provide a soft cheese blend to spread on crackers or cookies. Then serve with your favorite sauce or toppings. Savory assortments make great appetizers and sweet spreads make a fantastic DIY conclusion to a special meal.

Serve with coffee, sparkling water or champagne.

Enjoy!

Deconstructed Balsamic Cherry Cheese Bites

Course: DessertCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Easy

Servings

4

servings

Prep time

10

minutes

Cooking time

10

minutes

Total time

20

minutes

Deconstructed Balsamic Cherry Cheese Bites breaks down the elements of an elegant Cherry Cheesecake and serves them as a fun DIY dessert.

Ingredients

• Gingersnap Cookies

• 8 ounces Chèvre with Honey (or use another plain soft goat cheese with 4 Tablespoons of honey)

• Balsamic Cherry Topping:

• 1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
  

• 1/4 cup honey

• 1/4 cup syrup from cherries (or water, if not using canned cherries)
  

• 8-12 ounces cherries, frozen or canned
  

Directions

• Balsamic Cherry Topping:
• In a small saucepan, combine the balsamic vinegar, 1/4 cup honey and syrup from the cherries (or water). Bring the mixture to a simmer over low heat. Continue to simmer for approximately 7-10 minutes, or until the sauce begins to look syrupy. Remove pan from heat and transfer the mixture to a bowl. Refrigerate until cool.
• Stir thoroughly drained canned cherries or thawed frozen cherries into the cooled honey balsamic syrup.
• If you don’t have chèvre with honey prepare your own by stirring approximately 1 Tablespoon of honey into every 2 ounces of soft goat cheese. Store in the refrigerator.
• When ready to serve:
• Place the Ginger Snaps on a small tray. Pour the Balsamic Cherry Topping into a pretty bowl and place the honeyed chèvre in another appealing serving dish. Drizzle a bit of honey on top of the chèvre, if desired. Place a spreader and a small serving spoon nearby.
• Place the arrangement in the middle of the table, along with small plates, and encourage guests to assemble their own cheesecake bites by smearing the honeyed goat cheese on the cookies and topping each with a cherry in balsamic syrup.