Layered Chocolate Raspberry Cheesecake Jars

Oreo’s, cheesecake, raspberry mousse, and chocolate ganache (have I got your attention yet?) layer to make this stunning Valentine’s Dessert! And it's quite delectable too if I do say so myself. Other than the taste though I’d have to say the best part of these cheesecake cups is that they are entirely no-bake and can be made a few days ahead of time!

 I used Double Chocolate Oreo’s for these but regular would work great also.  The cheesecake layer comes together quickly and is creamy and sweet with just a little tartness to offset the sweetness of the other layers while the mousse adds a fluffy layer of raspberry yumminess. A thin, decadent layer of chocolate ganache seals the deal. You could stop there, but if you want to go the extra mile, add a swirl of whipped cream, another Oreo and some fresh raspberries for a truly Simple, yet Gourmet dessert! 

Note: These jars can be made all at once or a layer at a time to make them more manageable!

Layered Chocolate Raspberry Cheesecake Jars

*yield: 8 8 oz jars or cups

Ingredients: 

Oreo Layer:

14-16 Oreos, crushed

Cheesecake Layer:

1 cup heavy whipping cream

1/4 cup powdered sugar

8 oz (full fat) cream cheese, softened to room temp.

1/3 cup granulated sugar

2 TBSP Sour Cream

1 tsp lemon juice

1 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract, divided

Raspberry Mousse Layer:

5 oz (or 1 1/2 cups) frozen raspberries

1/4 cup granulated sugar

1/2 TBSP Gelatin, from about 1/2 packet

1 TBSP fresh lemon juice

1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream

1 tsp vanilla

3 TBSP powdered sugar

Ganache Layer:

1/2 cup cream

1 cup milk chocolate chips

Toppings:

1 cup whipped cream

2 TBSP powdered sugar

1/2 tsp vanilla

16 fresh raspberries, rinsed

4 Oreo's, cut in half

Directions:

Assemble 8, 8 oz jars or cups (or whatever you have handy- this doesn't have to be exact).  I used some 8 oz mason jars I found at my local grocery store and they worked perfectly! 

Place first 14-16 Oreo's in a ziplock bag and smash with a mallet or rolling pin until crumbly.  Divide between the 8 jars and press down lightly with a spoon to make an even layer.  

In a medium sized saucepan add the frozen raspberries and 1/4 cup granulated sugar.  Cook until mixture has thickened slightly and the sugar is dissolved.  Using a fine mesh strainer, press the raspberry mixture through the strainer into a bowl to remove the seeds.  Stir the mixture around and press firmly into the top of the strainer to get as much juice out as possible.  Pour the juice back into the pan and add lemon juice and Gelatin.  Whisk and cook over medium heat until gelatin is dissolved, then set aside to cool to room temperature.  

Whip 3 1/2 cups of Heavy Whipping Cream in a large metal bowl with a hand mixer on high or in a stand mixer for a few minutes until soft peaks form.  Add in 1/2 plus1  TBSP powdered sugar 2 tsp vanilla.  Continue to whip until firm peaks form, but watch it so it doesn't turn into butter!

In a separate medium sized bowl, make the cheesecake layer by mixing the cream cheese, sugar, lemon juice, 1 tsp vanilla, and sour cream until smooth. Fold in 2 cups of the whipped cream until smooth. Spoon or pipe cheesecake mix into the jars, filling them about 1/3 of the way full.  Smooth out layer with the back of a spoon.

Place 2 cups of the whipped cream in a zip-lock bag, or a piping bag fitted with a star tip. Place in fridge until ready to add final decorations.  

To the final 3 cups of whipped cream, add in about 1/4 of the room temp raspberry syrup.  If it cooled to much, warm it up briefly again on the stove until the gelatin liquifies, then allow it to cool to room temperature once again.  Fold in the syrup until combined, then repeat, adding 1/4 of the syrup at a time, until all the syrup is added.  Scoop Mousse into a bag to pipe it into the jar (just cut of a small corner), or use a spoon to scoop it in, filling it to within a 1/4 inch of the top.  Once again, smooth layer with the back of a spoon.

Make Chocolate Ganache by pouring 1/2 cup cream into a microwave safe bowl.  Microwave for 45 seconds then add 1 cup milk chocolate chips, stirring until smooth.  Using a spoon, gently scoop about 2 TBSP of ganache onto the top of the mousse layer.  The ganache shouldn't be hot at this point, but if it is, wait a bit till it reaches room temp before adding it to the jars.  Gently smooth out the ganache with the back of a spoon.

Place jars into the fridge to keep cool until ready to serve.  Just before serving, add a swirl of whipped cream, half an Oreo, and 2 raspberries.

Enjoy!!

Notes:

This recipe is written for all steps being completed at once, but it can certainly be done step by step a few days in advance to save time.  In this case, simply whip the individual amounts of whipped cream, powdered sugar and vanilla called for in each step instead of all together. For the cheesecake layer, whip cream with 1/2 tsp of the vanilla.

These jars will last for up to a week, well covered in the fridge!