Key West Cheesecake Recipes

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.

NO-BAKE KEY LIME CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• Whisk together cracker crumbs, sugar, and salt. Stir in butter until mixture resembles wet sand and holds together when squeezed. Press evenly into the bottom of a 9-inch springform pan. Freeze until firm, 15 minutes.
• Meanwhile, in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat cream cheese and condensed milk on medium-high speed until fluffy, about 5 minutes. Add lime juice, zest, and vanilla. Beat 1 minute more.
• In a separate bowl, whip cream to stiff peaks. Gently fold into cream-cheese mixture. Pour over chilled crust; smooth top with an offset spatula. Cover with plastic and refrigerate at least 12 hours and up to 3 days.
• Run a knife along cake's edge before releasing sides of pan, then under bottom to loosen. Serve, garnished with lime rounds.

KEY WEST CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 400°F.
• In medium bowl, beat all 'Crust' ingredients untill crumbly. Press evenly in greased, round pan. Bake 12-14 minutes or until light golden brown. Cool 10 minutes. Remove from oven. Place tin foil over the bottom and sides of crust in the pan. Reduce oven heat to 325°F.
• Beat all 'Filling' ingredients together in large bowl, beating the eggs in one at a time.
• Remove off of pie crust. Pour 'Filling' mixture into crust evenly. Bake 1 hours and 10-20 minutes( or a little less than 70 minutes) until set. Cool 15 minutes.
• Loosen cheesecake along pan with knife after cooling, but do not remove from pan. Refridgerate uncovered for 3 hours until chiled. Then cover and refidgerate 9 hours.
• In saucepan, mix 'Key Lime Curd' and cook 8 minutes, stirring constantly until it thickens and coats back of stirring spoon. Spread over cheesecake. (Store cheesecake in fridge for up to 3-4 days if there are any leftovers).