Key Lime Cheesecake

April 25, 2010

My husband is a great lover of key lime pie, and it’s his traditional birthday treat. But over the years I grew bored of making that and decided to branch out. Here’s a brand-new recipe. It’s darned good.

This cheesecake may look heavy and dense, but in reality it is light and creamy. I advise waiting to make it until you can find fresh key limes; the bottled juice gives a funny aftertaste to any finished product, and you will need zest besides.

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted
1/4 cup graham cracker crumbs
1/8 cup pecans, toasted and ground
1/8 cup shredded coconut, toasted and ground
2 lbs. cream cheese at room temp
1 1/2 cups sugar
4 eggs at room temp
1/2 cup heavy cream at room temp
1/4 cup sour cream at room temp
1/2 cup freshly squeezed key lime juice
1 1/2 teaspoons finely grated lime zest
2 teaspoons good quality vanilla extract

Directions:
Pour melted butter into a 9-inch springform pan. Tilt to coat
bottom and three inches up the sides. Combine graham
cracker crumbs, coconut and pecans in a bowl; pour into
springform pan and tilt to cover all buttered portion with crumb
mixture.

In a large mixing bowl, beat cream cheese with electric mixer
until soft. Add sugar and beat until smooth. Beat in eggs one
at a time. Add cream, sour cream and vanilla and beat on low
just until mixed. Add lime juice and zest and beat on low until
mixed.

Scrape the batter into springform pan and smooth top. If
springform is a two-part pan, wrap it in heavy-duty aluminum
foil from the bottom up (leaving top open). Be sure entire
bottom and sides are covered in foil, with no rips. Set
springform in a large roasting pan (must have free space on
sides between springform and roasting pan). Set both pans in
a preheated 325 oven and pour boiling water into the roasting
pan to at least one inch depth (but not higher than the level of
the springform pan!).

Bake for 55 minutes or until cheesecake is set but center still
jiggles slightly when pan is tapped. Turn off oven, prop oven
door slightly open with a wooden spoon, and leave cake in
oven one hour. After an hour, remove cake and allow to cool
completely on counter. Once cool, refrigerate cheesecake for
24 hours. When removing side of springform pan, carefully
slide blade of a knife around the inside of the pan to loosen the
cake.

Number Of Servings:8 – 12

Preparation Time: For-ev-er