1. Preheat the oven to 200°C (390°F) fan-forced. Line a muffin tin with five tulip paper liners* and set aside.

2. Add the cream cheese to a large bowl and mix until soft – working with a rubber spatula only is fine here. Mix confectioners’ sugar and cornstarch, then add to the bowl and mix with the cream cheese. Add vanilla bean paste, egg, and heavy cream and mix in. Divide the mixture between the paper liners and bake for 12-15 minutes in the upper third of the oven close to the heating element (to get some browning on the cheesecakes ideally). Take out of the oven and let cool down completely on a wire rack.

3. For the cherry compote, wash and pit the cherries. If using cherries from a glass jar, simply pour them into a sieve and let them drain. You can collect the liquid from the cherries and use it instead of cherry juice.

4. Mix the cornstarch and sugar with a little cherry juice (or liquid from the glass jar) and set aside. Add the rest to a saucepan and bring to a boil. Once the juice is boiling, stir in the cornstarch mixture and let it bubble for some time – the mixture should thicken slightly. Next, add the cherries and let them simmer for a few minutes, stirring constantly (over low heat). The cherries should be soft but not mushy. Fresh cherries take longer than canned cherries. As soon as the cherries have the right texture, remove from the heat and let them cool down completely.

5. Dust the cooled cheesecakes with a little confectioners’ sugar, if desired, and serve with cherry compote and whipped cream.