Key Lime Cheesecake I Food

KEY LIME CHEESECAKE I

Steps:

• Combine cookie or graham cracker crumbs with butter or margarine. Press into bottom and partially up sides of 9 inch springform pan. Refrigerate.
• In a large bowl, beat with an electric mixer the cream cheese, sugar, lime peel, and cornstarch until smooth and fluffy. Beat in eggs one at a time, blending just until smooth. Add key lime juice with mixer on low. Finish mixing by hand. Do not over beat, or cake will crack during baking. Pour batter into prepared crust.
• Bake at 300 degrees F (150 degrees C) for 55 to 65 minutes, or until set. To minimize cracking, place a shallow pan half full of hot water on lower rack during baking.
• Turn oven off, and let cheesecake stand in oven 30 minutes with the door open at least 4 inches. Remove from oven. Refrigerate cake overnight, and up to three days.

CHEESECAKE FACTORY KEY LIME CHEESECAKE--MY VERSION

Steps:

• In 9 or 10 inch springform pan, combine crumbs, melted butter, and 1/4 cup sugar. Press evenly over bottom of pan and halfway up sides. Bake at 375 for 7-8 minutes, no longer.
• Cream room temperature cream cheese well, add sugar, and cream until smooth, scraping sides and bottom of bowl frequently to integrate any cream cheese lumps. Cream in sour cream, eggs, flour and vanilla. When smooth once more, stir in lime juice. Note: 3/4 Cup of Key Lime juice makes a very tart cheesecake. If you prefer a less tart cheesecake, start with 1/3 cup and increase to taste.
• Pour over prepared crust. Return to 375 oven for 15 minutes. Lower temperature to 250 and continue baking 50 minutes for 10 inch pan, 55 minutes for 9 inch pan. Cool on wire rack IN PAN for 20 minutes. Run a sharp knife around edge to loosen cheesecake, but do NOT remove from pan. Refrigerate at least 6 hours before serving. May be garnished with sweetened whipped cream, lime zest, or both.

KEY LIME CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• Place a greased 9-in. springform pan on a double thickness of heavy-duty foil (about 18 in. square). Securely wrap foil around pan. , In a large bowl, combine graham cracker crumbs and sugar; stir in butter. Press onto the bottom of prepared pan. Place pan on a baking sheet. Bake at 350° for 10 minutes. Cool on a wire rack. , In a large bowl, beat the cream cheeses, sugar substitute, sugar and flour until smooth. Add eggs; beat on low speed just until combined. Stir in the sour cream, lime juice, vanilla, lime zest and food coloring if desired. Pour filling onto crust. , Place springform pan in a large baking pan; add 1 in. of hot water to larger pan. Bake at 350° for 40-45 minutes or until center is just set and top appears dull. Remove springform pan from water bath. Cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Carefully run a knife around edge of pan to loosen; cool 1 hour longer. , Chill overnight. Refrigerate leftovers.

KEY LIME CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• In a mixing bowl, combine the melted butter, 2 tablespoons of the sugar and graham cracker crumbs. Mix well. Press the crust firmly over the bottom of a 9-inch spring form pan. Set aside.
• In a saucepan dissolve the gelatin the key lime juice, about 5 minutes. Add 1 1/4 cups of the sugar, eggs, egg yolks, and lime zest. Mix well. Over medium heat, cook until the mixture thickens and is pudding like, about 10 minutes. Remove from the heat.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer, fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese until smooth. With the mixer running, add the lime mixture slowly and beat until smooth. Remove the mixture and turn into a bowl and cool completely. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until chilled, stirring every 10 minutes.
• In a bowl of an electric mixer with a whip attachment, place the egg whites, pinch of salt and remaining 1/4 cup of the sugar. Whip on medium high until stiff peaks form. Remove the lime and cheese mixture from the refrigerator. Fold the egg whites into the lime mixture and blend thoroughly. Pour the mixture into the prepared crust. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until set, about 4 hours.
• Remove from the refrigerator. Run a sharp knife along the sides of the pan and remove the spring-form. Spread the whipped cream evenly over the top of the cake.
• For the candied zest: In a saucepan over medium heat, combine the simple syrup and the lime zest. Bring the liquid to a simmer and cook for 3 to 4 minutes. Remove the zest from the liquid and cool on parchment paper.
• Cut the cake into individual servings. Garnish with candied lime zest and mint sprigs.

KEY LIME PIE CHEESECAKE BARS

Steps:

• For the crust: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Place a 9-by-13-inch baking pan of hot water on the bottom oven rack.
• Line a second 9-by-13-inch baking pan with foil, leaving an overhang around the edges, and coat with cooking spray. Pulse the graham crackers in a food processor until fine crumbs form. Pour in the butter and pulse until the crumbs are well coated and stick together when pinched. Press evenly into the bottom of the foil-lined pan.
• For the filling: Add the cream cheese, granulated sugar, sour cream, lime juice, vanilla and eggs to the food processor (no need to clean it first). Process until smooth, using a spatula to scrape the sides as needed.
• Pour the filling over the crust and smooth the surface. Bake on the center rack until the center is just set but slightly jiggly, about 45 minutes. Turn off the oven and leave the pan in the oven with the door closed for 10 minutes. Open the door halfway and leave the pan in the oven until the cheesecake is firmly set around the edges and very slightly jiggly in the center, about 10 more minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool to room temperature, about 30 minutes, then refrigerate until cold, at least 1 hour and up to 24 hours.
• When ready to serve, lift the cheesecake out of the pan using the foil overhang. Cut into 12 large pieces (or 24 small pieces if preferred) and place on a serving platter. Generously dust with powdered sugar and grate over lime zest.

PHILADELPHIA 3-STEP KEY LIME CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F.
• Beat first 5 ingredients with mixer until blended. Add eggs; mix just until blended.
• Pour into crust.
• Bake 40 min. or until center is almost set. Cool. Refrigerate 3 hours. Top with COOL WHIP just before serving.

KEY LIME CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325ºF.
• Combine graham cracker crumbs, sugar and butter. Press crumb mixture firmly on bottom of 9" springform pan.
• In a large bowl, beat cream cheese until fluffy.
• On low speed, slowly add condensed milk, mix until smooth. Add eggs and flour; mix well and then add in key lime juice.
• Reserve 1/2 cup filling for marbling; stir in green food coloring.
• Pour white filling into pan, then spoon 1/2 cup green filling over white filling; swirl.
• Bake 45-50 minutes or until center is set. Cool 10 minutes.
• Sprinkle with crushed macadamias.
• With thin knife, carefully loosen cheescake from side of pan.
• Chill.
• Store leftovers covered in refrigerator.

KEY LIME CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• For lime custard:.
• Whisk all ingredients in heavy small saucepan over medium heat until custard thickens and boils for 30 seconds, about 8 minutes.
• Cool to room temperature, stirring occasionally (mixture will thicken).
• For crust:.
• Preheat oven to 350°F
• Wrap 3 layers of foil around outside of 8- to 8 1/2-inch-diameter springform pan with 3-inch-high sides.
• Butter pan.
• Stir first 3 ingredients to blend in medium bowl.
• Mix in butter until moistened.
• Press crumb mixture evenly onto bottom and 1 1/2 inches up sides of prepared pan.
• Bake just until set, about 5 minutes.
• Cool completely.
• Maintain oven temperature.
• For filling:.
• Place cream cheese, 2/3 cup sugar, eggs, lime juice, and lime peel in processor; blend well.
• Spoon custard into crust; smooth top.
• Carefully spoon filling over.
• Set cheesecake in large baking pan.
• Add enough hot water to baking pan to come 1 inch up sides of cheesecake pan.
• Bake until almost set but not puffed and center moves slightly when pan is gently shaken, about 45 minutes.
• Meanwhile, stir sour cream and remaining 3 tablespoons sugar in medium bowl to blend.
• Carefully spoon sour cream mixture over hot cheesecake; smooth top.
• Bake until topping sets, about 10 minutes.
• Cool 10 minutes.
• Run knife around sides of pan to loosen.
• Cool cheesecake completely.
• Cover and refrigerate overnight.
• Do ahead Can be made 2 days ahead.
• Keep refrigerated.
• Release pan sides from cheesecake; transfer to platter.
• Garnish with lime slices and serve.
• ***Cook time does not include any of the cooling times.

KEY LIME CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• Combine graham cracker crumbs with melted butter. Press into bottom of 9 inchspringform pan.
• In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese with an electric mixer to soften the cream cheese. Then add the sugar, vanilla extract and cornstarch until smooth and fluffy. Add in the lime juice.
• Beat in eggs one at a time, blending just until smooth. Finish the mixing by hand. Overbeating can cause the cake to crack.
• Pour batter into prepared crust.
• Bake at 300 degrees for 55-65 minutes depending on your oven, or until set. Place a shallow pan half full of hot water on lower rack during baking to help minimize cracking.
• Turn oven off, and let cheesecake stand in oven 15 minutes with the door cracked open. Remove from the cake from oven.
• Refrigerate cake overnight. Serve with whipped cream on the side.

MY FAVORITE KEY LIME CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• NOTE: A HAND-HELD MIXER WORKS BEST FOR BLENDING THE FILLING, PAUSING AT INTERVALS TO SCRAPE SIDES OF MIXING BOWL. ALLOW A MINIMUM OF 4 HOURS FOR BAKED CHEESECAKE TO REFRIGERATE AND SET BEFORE SERVING. (STEP ONE): TEMPER 32 ounces Philadelphia cream cheese (four 8 ounce bricks) until room temperature is reached (about 1 1/2 hours); GRATE the outer green peel from enough key limes to yield 1/2 teaspoon plus desired amount for final garnish, using the finest shred grate of a cheese grater to produce fine zest flakes; SQUEEZE enough key limes to yield 1 cup juice.
• PREHEAT oven to 375°F with one oven rack in center position and another in the lowest position; MELT 4 tablespoons unsalted butter in a microwaveable dish in a microwave for about 40 seconds for the CRUST; PROCESS enough Nilla Wafers cookies in a food processor to yield 2 cups crumbs; ADD 1 tablespoon granulated sugar; POUR butter mixture through processor feeder tube while running; PROCESS mixture until thoroughly mixed; RESERVE a few teaspoons of crumb mixture for garnish if desired; DUMP crumb mixture into a 9-inch or 10-inch springform pan; LIGHTLY spread mixture evenly into bottom of pan to approximately 1/4 inch thickness, then partway up the sides of pan.
• BAKE the crust at 375°F on center rack for 5 minutes; REMOVE spring pan from oven and set aside; LEAVE oven on at 375°F.
• INTO a large mixer bowl add 32 ounces tempered cream cheese, 1 1/4 cups granulated sugar, 1/4 cup flour and 1/2 teaspoon fresh Key lime zest; WHIP with mixer on medium speed until blended.
• POUR in 1 cup freshly squeezed Key lime juice and 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract while mixing on lowest speed; MIX in 1 cup real sour cream; ADD 1 (5.1 ounce) package Jell-0 Vanilla Instant Pudding mix gradually while mixing on highest speed until well blended and lump-free; BEAT 4 eggs in a separate bowl, then add to mixture, beating on lowest speed until blended, without over-mixing or creating air bubbles (pause to scrape sides of bowl if necessary).
• POUR the cheesecake batter carefully into the springform pan containing crust mixture; SMOOTH mixture in swirls from edges of pan to center until level, using a flexible spatula.
• BAKE cheesecake at 375°F for 15 minutes; REDUCE oven temperature to 260 F.; CONTINUE baking cheescake for 1 hour for a 10-inch pan, or 1 hour and 7 minutes, for a 9-inch pan.
• REMOVE cheesecake carefully from oven; GENTLY run a sharp knife around edges of cheesecake in springform pan to loosen; LEAVE cheesecake in springform pan and allow to cool completely on a wire rack; REFRIGERATE cheesecake in the springform pan for at least 4 hours to set; REMOVE side pan carefully.
• SPRINKLE a light border of cookie crumbs on cheesecake; TOP with a dollop of fresh whipped cream (use a pastry bag with decorator tip); GARNISH each serving with a pinch of finely grated fresh key lime zest and/or a fresh key lime twist if desired.
• SERVE and ENJOY!

DIET KEY LIME CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• Heat water in microwave.
• Stir Jello into water and set aside.
• In a mixing bowl, blend Splenda, cream cheese, and heavy cream until completely mixed.
• Add lime juice and dissolved Jello and mix well.
• Pour into empty pie pan (or prebaked crust) and chill 4 hours. Alternately, pour right into parfait glasses.
• This is nice with whipped cream.