When my husband was a child he loved to “eat fancy” — meaning tiny, perfectly composed bites. He would arrange cherry tomatoes on a plate, sit down with a salt shaker, and take small, deliberate nibbles, flicking salt with the utmost ceremony. Watching him mime those little rituals now — pinkies raised, eyes delightfully distant — is both hilarious and endearing.
His fondness for small bites never faded. Last October at the Martha’s Vineyard Food and Wine Festival, during events like the Opening Reception, the Chocolate and Wine pairing seminar and the Grand Tasting, he was in his element. He moved from table to table tasting the elegant one- and two-bite creations from talented local chefs. Each time I glanced at him, he seemed transformed: a grown man reminded of the wide-eyed child he once was, savoring tiny delights as if they were treasures.
So when I want to celebrate something small or simply show him I care, I make bite-sized treats. Yes, I’m sentimental — and I embrace it. The other day, after he trudged through heaps of snow and sat down by the woodstove to warm his hands, I went to the kitchen to prepare a little surprise.
I softened a brick of Neufchâtel (1/3 less fat) and whipped it with confectioner’s sugar and a splash of Chambord until the mixture was luxuriously smooth. I transferred the filling to a pastry bag fitted with a small star tip and gently piped it into fresh raspberries I’d picked up on a recent grocery run.
I placed a small plate beside his chair along with a little glass of Chambord. He tried one, closed his eyes, and declared them the ultimate cheesecake. Coming from someone who usually insists that fruit should dominate a cheesecake, that praise felt especially sweet. Then he looked up and asked, “Are there any more?”
“Of course I do,” I replied. And that was that — little bites, big smiles.
One Bite Cheesecake Stuffed Raspberries
Rebecca Lindamood
Ingredients
- 2 pints fresh raspberries
- 1 package 1/3 less fat cream cheese 8 ounce, Neufchâtel cheese, softened to room temperature
- 1/2 cup confectioner’s sugar
- 1 tablespoon Chambord or other raspberry liqueur
Instructions
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In a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, or using a hand mixer in a bowl, beat the cream cheese, confectioner’s sugar, and Chambord on high until smooth and creamy. Transfer the filling to a pastry bag fitted with a small star tip, or use a zipper-top gallon bag and snip off a small corner. Gently insert the tip into each raspberry without splitting it and squeeze in the cheesecake filling, pulling the tip out as you go so each berry is capped with a small swirl. Arrange on a plate and serve immediately or refrigerate for up to 2 hours. These are best enjoyed within 3 hours, as they may release juice if stored longer.
Nutritional information is an estimate and provided as a courtesy. Calculate nutrition using your actual ingredients and preferred nutrition tool.
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