Let’s Eat: Hop into spring with delicious Easter desserts

By Heidi Sutton

From full-course brunches to simple sit-down dinners, Easter celebrations are a time to enjoy family, friends and the delicious tastes of spring. However elaborate the festivities, a rich and creamy dessert is the perfect finale to any Easter gathering. These fresh dessert ideas feature everyone’s favorite indulgence — cheesecake — along with other lively flavors, such as blueberry and coconut. Desserts this delicious will have your guests hopping up for seconds. 

Blueberry Streusel Cheesecake

YIELD: Makes 16 servings

INGREDIENTS:

1 1/2 cups plus 3 tablespoons flour, divided

1 1/3 cups sugar, divided

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

3/4 cup cold butter, cut up

4 packages (8 ounces each) cream cheese, softened

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

1 cup sour cream

4 eggs

2 cups fresh blueberries

DIRECTIONS: 

Heat oven to 325°F. Mix 1 1/2 cups flour, 1/3 cup sugar and cinnamon in medium bowl. Cut in butter with pastry blender or 2 knives until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Reserve 1/2 cup; press remaining onto bottom of 9-inch springform pan. Bake 25 minutes or until lightly browned.

Beat cream cheese, remaining flour, remaining sugar and vanilla with mixer until well blended. Add sour cream; mix well. Add eggs, one at a time, beating on low speed after each just until blended. Pour over crust. Top with berries and reserved crumb mixture. Bake 1 hour 25 minutes to 1 hour 30 minutes or until center is almost set. Run knife around rim of pan to loosen cake; cool before removing rim. Refrigerate 4 hours. Garnish with additional berries or cinnamon just before serving.

Easter Mini Cheesecakes

YIELD: Makes 18 servings

INGREDIENTS:

1 cup graham cracker crumbs

3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar, divided

3 tablespoons butter or margarine, melted

3 packages cream cheese, softened

1 teaspoon vanilla

3 eggs

1 cup plus 2 tablespoons coconut, toasted

54 speckled malted milk eggs (9 ounces)

DIRECTIONS: 

Heat oven to 325°F. Mix graham crumbs, 2 tablespoons sugar and butter; press onto bottoms of 18 paper-lined muffin cups. Beat cream cheese, vanilla and remaining sugar with mixer until blended. Add eggs, 1 at a time, mixing on low speed after each just until blended. Spoon over crusts. Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until centers are almost set. Cool completely. Refrigerate 2 hours.

Top each cheesecake with 1 tablespoon coconut; shape to resemble bird’s nest. Fill with malted milk eggs.

Note: To soften cream cheese, place completely unwrapped package of cream cheese in microwaveable bowl. Microwave on high 10 seconds or just until softened. Add 15 seconds for each additional package of cream cheese.