Key Lime Cheesecake With Tropical Dried Fruit Chutney Food

MINI KEY LIME CHEESECAKE WITH RASPBERRY SAUCE

Steps:

• For the crust: Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F. Spray the bottoms of 24 cupcake-size silicon molds with cooking spray (or two 12-cup muffin pans) and place them on a baking sheet.
• To make the crust, in a small mixing bowl, stir together the crumbs, sugar and melted butter, then press the mixture firmly into the bottom of each mold. Set aside.
• For the filling: Using an electric mixer, beat the cream cheese and sour cream until smooth and creamy. Add the eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Add the sugar, lime zest, lime juice, cornstarch and vanilla and beat until smooth.
• Pour the filling into the prepared crusts. Bake until the tops are lightly brown, about 20 minutes. Let cool, then cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving.
• For the sauce: Meanwhile, to make the sauce, process the raspberries, sugar and lime zest in a food processor or blender until smooth. Chill for at least 1 hour before drizzling over the cheesecake and serving.

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:

• 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 CHEESECAKES WITH RASPBERRY SWIRLS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease 2 mini muffin pans and line with fancy paper liners.
• Combine the cookies, butter, and lime zest in a bowl until evenly moistened; press into the bottom of the prepared pans. I find a shot glass works wonderfully for this.
• Bake in the preheated oven 5 minutes; allow to cool.
• In a large bowl, stir together the cream cheese and sugar. Gradually stir in the eggs, key lime zest, key lime juice, and vanilla extract. Pour the mixture into the prepared cups, filling almost to the top. Spoon a drop of preserves on top of each one. Swirl preserves into the cream cheese mixture with a toothpick.
• Bake in preheated oven 13 to 15 minutes. Allow to cool completely before removing from pans, 6 to 8 hours.

TROPICAL DRIED-FRUIT CHUTNEY

Steps:

• Scrape seeds from vanilla bean into heavy medium saucepan. Add bean, Sherry, cinnamon sticks, and star anise. Bring to simmer over medium heat. Add all dried fruits; return to simmer, stirring occasionally. Simmer until Sherry is almost evaporated, stirring occasionally, about 15 minutes. Remove from heat. Mix in enough pineapple juice by tablespoonfuls to moisten chutney. Transfer to bowl, cover, and refrigerate until cold, at least 3 hours. (Chutney can be made 1 day ahead. Keep refrigerated.)
• Remove vanilla bean, cinnamon sticks, and star anise from chutney. Mix in mint and cilantro and serve.
• *Brown star-shaped seedpods; available in the spice section of some supermarkets and at specialty foods stores and Asian markets.

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!