Dinner Party Buffet: Mini Cheesecakes, Mini Hamburgers, Mini Pizzas, Gherkins and Salmon Tartare

Ingredients

• 200 g Speculoos biscuits (for the cheesecake base)
• 80 g Melted butter (for the cheesecake base)
• 250 g Cream cheese (Philadelphia style) (cheesecake filling)
• 50 g Powdered sugar (sweeten the cheesecake)
• 5 ml Vanilla extract (cheesecake flavor)
• 200 ml Heavy cream (to lighten the cheesecake)
• 200 g Fresh strawberries (for the strawberry variant)
• 50 ml Raspberry coulis (optional) (decoration)
• 100 g 70% dark chocolate (for the chocolate‑coffee variant)
• 1 teaspoon Instant coffee (for the tiramisu variant)
• 30 g Mini speculoos biscuits (verrine garnish)
• 500 g Magic dough (prepared) (for mini hamburgers and mini pizzas)
• 1 unit Egg (egg wash for mini burgers)
• 1 teaspoon Soy sauce (for the glaze)
• 1 tablespoon Poppy or sesame seeds (to decorate the mini burgers)
• 300 g Ground beef (filling for mini burgers)
• 150 g Cheddar (slices for mini burgers)
• 6 units Cherry tomatoes (slices for mini burgers)
• 12 units Wooden skewers (to hold the mini burgers)
• 150 ml Homemade tomato sauce (base for mini pizzas)
• 100 g Smoked chicken (topping for mini pizzas)
• 30 g Pitted black olives (for mini pizzas)
• 50 g Red bell pepper (for mini pizzas)
• 100 g Grated cheese (Emmental) (to gratinate the mini pizzas)
• 1 teaspoon Herbes de Provence (for finishing)
• 200 g Mini gherkins (appetizer)
• 100 g Soft cheese (type Saint‑Môret) (for the gherkins)
• 100 g Charcuterie (dry‑cured ham) (for the gherkins)
• 50 g Raisins (for the gherkins)
• 200 g Fresh salmon (sushi grade) (salmon tartare)
• 1 tablespoon Lime juice (tartare seasoning)
• 20 g Red onion (finely chopped for the tartare)
• 1 tablespoon Fresh chives (for the tartare)
• 100 g Guacamole (tartare accompaniment)
• 8 units Cocktail shrimp, peeled (to garnish the tartare)

Instructions

1. Prepare the mini cheesecake base

   Crush the speculoos biscuits in the processor, add the melted butter, blend until a homogeneous dough forms.

   Time: PT10M

2. Press the base into the verrines

   Distribute the dough into the bottom of each mini verrine using a spoon, press firmly with the back of a spoon to form an even layer.

   Time: PT5M

3. Prepare the cheesecake filling

   Soften the cream cheese at room temperature, add the powdered sugar, vanilla extract and cold heavy cream. Beat with an electric mixer for 5 minutes until a smooth, airy texture is achieved.

   Time: PT10M

4. Assemble the three mini cheesecake variants

   Divide the mixture into three equal parts. Pour the plain first part into the verrines, decorate the second with strawberry slices and a drizzle of raspberry coulis, and the third with melted chocolate mixed with instant coffee. Sprinkle mini speculoos biscuits over each verrine.

   Time: PT10M

5. Prepare the dough for mini hamburgers and mini pizzas

   Divide the magic dough into two portions: 500 g for mini hamburgers and 300 g for mini pizzas. On a lightly floured work surface, form balls the size of a walnut.

   Time: PT10M

6. Shape the mini hamburgers

   Flatten each ball with your hands then cut 5 cm disks using a cookie cutter. Place the disks on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.

   Time: PT10M

7. Glaze and bake the mini hamburgers

   Brush the disks with a mixture of beaten egg, soy sauce and sprinkle with poppy or sesame seeds. Bake at 190°C for 20 minutes until golden.

   Time: PT20M

   Temperature: 190°C

8. Cook the ground meat

   Sauté the ground meat in a hot pan with a drizzle of oil, season with salt and pepper, cook 8‑10 minutes while breaking it up regularly.

   Time: PT10M

9. Assemble the mini hamburgers

   On each mini bun, place a small portion of meat, a slice of cheddar, half a cherry tomato slice and secure with a wooden skewer.

   Time: PT5M

10. Shape the mini pizzas

    Roll out the remaining dough into a thin layer, cut 6 cm circles with a cutter and place them on a parchment‑lined baking sheet.

    Time: PT10M

11. Top the mini pizzas

    Spread a teaspoon of tomato sauce on each disk, add smoked chicken, olives, red bell pepper and sprinkle a little grated cheese.

    Time: PT5M

12. First bake of the mini pizzas

    Bake at 190°C for 10 minutes until the dough begins to brown.

    Time: PT10M

    Temperature: 190°C

13. Second bake and gratin

    Remove the sheet, add a little more grated cheese, sprinkle with Herbes de Provence and return to the oven for an additional 15 minutes until the cheese is melted and lightly browned.

    Time: PT15M

    Temperature: 190°C

14. Prepare the appetizer gherkins

    Place in each small plate a mini gherkin, a piece of soft cheese, a slice of dry‑cured ham and a few raisins for the sweet‑salty contrast.

    Time: PT10M

15. Prepare the salmon tartare

    Dice the salmon very finely, add the lime juice, chopped red onion, chives, salt and pepper. Mix gently and let rest for 5 minutes.

    Time: PT15M

16. Plate the tartare

    Divide the tartare into small containers, add a spoon of guacamole on the side and garnish each portion with a cocktail shrimp.

    Time: PT5M

Nutrition Facts

Calories

350

Protein

15 g

Carbohydrates

30 g

Fat

18 g

Fiber

2 g

Ingredient Substitutions

• Instead of Speculoos biscuits: digestive biscuits, Graham crackers
• Instead of Melted butter: margarine
• Instead of Cream cheese (Philadelphia style): quark, ricotta
• Instead of Powdered sugar: granulated sugar
• Instead of Vanilla extract: vanilla sugar
• Instead of Heavy cream: whole milk + butter
• Instead of Fresh strawberries: raspberries
• Instead of Raspberry coulis (optional): strawberry coulis
• Instead of 70% dark chocolate: milk chocolate
• Instead of Instant coffee: strong coffee
• Instead of Mini speculoos biscuits: rusk
• Instead of Egg: egg yolk
• Instead of Soy sauce: tamari
• Instead of Ground beef: ground turkey
• Instead of Cheddar: raclette cheese
• Instead of Cherry tomatoes: regular tomato
• Instead of Homemade tomato sauce: store‑bought tomato sauce
• Instead of Smoked chicken: prosciutto
• Instead of Pitted black olives: green olives
• Instead of Red bell pepper: yellow bell pepper
• Instead of Grated cheese (Emmental): mozzarella
• Instead of Soft cheese (type Saint‑Môret): cream cheese
• Instead of Charcuterie (dry‑cured ham): salami
• Instead of Raisins: cranberries
• Instead of Fresh salmon (sushi grade): fresh tuna
• Instead of Lime juice: lemon juice
• Instead of Guacamole: mashed avocado

Equipment Needed

• Mixing bowl
• Food processor or freezer bag and rolling pin
• Electric mixer
• Silicone spatula
• Whisk (optional)
• Baking sheet
• Parchment paper
• Oven
• Rolling pin
• Round cookie cutter (or glass)
• Kitchen brush (optional)
• Cooling rack
• Tablespoon
• Pastry bag (or freezer bag)
• Mini glasses (or small glasses)
• Frying pan
• Grill pan or grill pan (optional)
• Chef's knife
• Cutting board

Critical Steps — Do Not Skip

• Prepare the cheesecake base (step 1)
• Beat the cheesecake filling until smooth (step 3)
• Baking the mini hamburgers (step 7)
• Second bake of the mini pizzas for gratin (step 13)
• Handle raw salmon (step 15)

Chef Tips from the Video

• Use very cold water for the magic dough to keep the texture light
• For a more authentic flavor, add a pinch of fleur de sel on the mini burgers before baking
• Dust the cheesecake verrines with a cloud of cocoa powder for an elegant visual effect

Troubleshooting

Storage

Refrigerator: Store the mini cheesecakes, salmon tartare and mini pizzas in airtight containers in the refrigerator (up to 4 days).

Freezer: The magic dough can be frozen for up to 1 month, cooked mini burgers can be frozen for 2 months.

Room temperature: Appetizer gherkins keep at room temperature for 2 days, but it is best to keep them chilled.

Make-Ahead Tips

• The base and cheesecake filling can be prepared the day before and kept in the refrigerator
• The magic dough can be prepared 24 hours ahead and kept chilled
• Salmon tartare pairs better after 1 hour of chilling
• Mini pizzas can be assembled ahead of time and baked just before serving