Cheezecake Praline Tarts

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Mist a 6-cup muffin tin with non-stick cooking spray, and set it aside.

To prepare the praline crust, place the sugar, maple syrup and oil in a 1-quart saucepan, and stir them together. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Immediately remove from the heat and stir in the nuts and flour. Quickly spoon the mixture evenly into the prepared muffin cups, using about 1 teaspoon or so for each cup. Spread the mixure out as much as possible so it evenly covers the bottom of each cup. You will need to work fast before the mixture cools and becomes hard. Set aside.

For the filling, crumble the tofu and place it, along with the remaining ingredients, in a blender or food processor fitted with a metal blade. Process until very smooth and creamy.

Spoon the blended mixture equally into the muffin cups over the praline. Smooth out the tops. The mixture will fill the cups quite full. Bake the tarts on the center rack of the oven until the tops are lightly browned and the centers appear firm, about 35 to 40 minutes. Remove from the oven and place on a wire rack to cool.

When the tarts are cool to the touch, carefully remove them from the muffin tin, turn them over so the praline crust is on top, and place them on a wire rack to finish cooling completely. If the praline sticks a little, loosen it and place it on the tart. Once completely cooled, transfer the tarts to a plate and refrigerate them until they are thoroughly chilled and firm, about 2 hours or longer. Do not cover the tarts as they will sweat and the praline will become soggy.