Coconut and Vanilla Bean Cheesecake Nests
By 
Makes 12
You’ll Need
- 1 cup Oreo or graham cracker cookie crumbs
- 3 Tbsp butter, melted
- ¼ tsp fine sea salt
- 1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, room temperature
- 1 egg
- 1/3 cup sugar
- 1 vanilla bean, split in half lengthwise, seeds scraped
- 1 cup shredded sweetened coconut
- ½ cup assorted jelly beans
Prep and Cook
- Position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 350° F. Line a standard 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners and set aside.
- In a small bowl, stir together the cookie crumbs, melted butter and salt. Divide evenly between muffin cups, pressing the mixture into the bottom of the liners. Bake for 6 minutes, remove from oven and allow to cool slightly.
- Meanwhile, in a medium bowl beat the cream cheese, egg, sugar and vanilla bean seeds with a handheld mixer, until smooth and silky. Divide the cheesecake batter over the cooled cookie crumbs and bake for 15 minutes, or until the edges are set and the centre is still slightly soft. Remove from oven and allow to cool completely.
- Place the coconut on a baking sheet and bake for 4-5 minutes, rotating the pan half way through cooking time, or until most of the coconut is lightly browned. Remove from the oven and allow to cool.
- Spoon coconut over the cheesecake filling and top with jelly beans. These are best served the day they are made, but can be stored covered in the refrigerator for up to two days.
