Upsidedown Cheesecakes
 
Ingredients: 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1/4 cup graham cracker crumbs
3/4 cup cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
1 large egg
1 cup fruit
1/3 cup water
2 teaspoons cornstarch dissolved in 1 tablespoon water
Lemon juice to taste
 
Directions Preheat oven to 350 degrees and set rack in middle position.
In a small saucepan, melt the butter over moderately hight heat, stir in the crumbs, and divide the mixture among four paper lined 1/2 cup muffin tins. Pat the mixture to form a crust on the bottom. Bake the crusts for 5 minutes and let them cool on a rack for at least 5 minutes. In a bowl with an electric mixture, beat together the cream cheese, 1/4 cup of the sugar, vanilla, almond, and a pinch of salt until the mixture is combined well. Beat in the egg until the batter is combined well and divide the batter among the tins. (The batter will fill the tins.) Bake cakes for 20 minutes, or until they are set, and let tem cool on a rack for at least 10 minutes. While the cheesecakes are baking, in a small heafty saucepan combine fruit with the remaining sugar and water. Bring the mixture to a boil and simmer it, stirring occasionally for 3 mintues. Remove from heat and crush the fruit with a masher while still hot. Stir in the cornstarch mixture and a dash of lemon juice and bring to a simmer again. Stir for an additional 2 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool completely. Invert the cheesecakes onto plates, discarding the paper liners, and spoon on the fruit sauce.