Hearts and Flours à la Japonais for Kristen’s #Improv Challenge

Sesame seeds delivered in dinner or dessert dishes are eternally in vogue in Japan. Served au natural or in paste form, a smile is almost guaranteed if I incorporate the nutty tidbits into a sweet or savory treat for my Japanese friends. So as a thank you to some of my pals in dance class who have kindly invited me to tea ceremonies and into their homes, I set out to make sesame sugar cookies crowned with vanilla cheesecake swirled with sesame paste. And to fulfill Kristen of Harried Antics of a Harried Homemaker's Improv Challenge to food bloggers to create something with flours and hearts for February, I opted to bake mini cheesecakes and cookies in heart shapes. 

The Ninja Baker's Sesame Cheesecake Hearts 

To my surprise, my American neighbors loved my sesame concoctions. And they are all gone. So, back to the kitchen for another round for my Japanese friends. 

The winning recipes below. I adapted the cookie crust from Jill Saunder’s Sugar Cookies at Allrecipes.com. The cheesecake filling is a variation on the one posted at King Arthur Flour.

Sesame Cheesecake Filling
Ingredients:
2 cups cream cheese, at room temperature
2 large eggs
2/3 cup sugar
3 teaspoons sesame paste
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:
Combine all the above ingredients until well mixed with an electric mixer.

Sesame Cookies Crust
Ingredients:
¾ cup butter, softened
1 cup white sugar
1 tablespoon sesame paste
2 eggs
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
2 ½  cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
½  teaspoon salt
1 ¼ teaspoon sesame seeds

Directions:
With an electric mixer cream together the butter, sugar and sesame paste in a large bowl. Next incorporate the eggs one at a time. Add the vanilla extract.

In a separate bowl whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt. Gradually stir on low speed into the butter, sugar, sesame paste mixture. When everything is well combined, add the sesame seeds. Chill the cookie dough for about an hour in the refrigerator.

For the cheesecake crust, press cookie dough into the bottoms of well-greased and floured heart shaped cake pans. Fill with sesame cheesecake filling.

Another option is to place the cheesecake filling into the pans first and top with the cookie dough. After baking and cooling the cheesecakes you can flip the pans – carefully.

I’ve done both methods. Both work equally but require a knife to be run around the cheesecakes and cookies before removing from the pans.

Whichever method you choose; bake the cheesecakes with cookie crusts for about 30 minutes in a 350 degree oven. Turning the pan around mid-bake. The tops will be firm and a toothpick or knife will come out clean.

Garnish with mini sesame cookies if desired.

Note: For cookies only, you’ll want to roll out the dough to about a ¼ to ½ thickness, then cut out hearts. Refrigerate again for an hour and then bake for 6 to 8 minutes in a 400-degree oven.

To see how others answered the call to Kristen's Improv Challenge, click on the pictures below.

Wishing you fun with flour for and with the dear hearts in your life.