Key Lime Cheesecake

I love cheesecake - it is definitely one of my favorite desserts.  I prefer New York style - thick, creamy, tangy, sweet... this dessert just has it all.  The best part is, you can modify the recipe and create dozens of amazing variations.  For my dad, for Father's Day, I made a key lime cheesecake.  I used real fresh squeezed lime juice and zest in the cheesecake, and then made a tangy lime curd to go on top, with some sweeteened freshly whipped cream and lime slices to top it all off.  It was tangy, sweet, and wonderful!

Key Lime Cheesecake

Crust:

2/3 cup all purpose flour

4 tablespoons butter, soft, cut into 8 pieces

2 tablespoons sugar

1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1 cup lime curd, store bought or homemade

4 (8 oz) packages cream cheese

1 2/3 cup sugar

1/4 cup cornstarch

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

2 eggs

1/4 cup heavy whipping cream

Preheat oven to 350. Spray a 9 inch springform pan with baking spray. Use a food processor to pulse together the flour and sugar for the crust. Add the butter and vanilla and turn the processor on. Let it run 30 seconds. Turn the crumbly dough out into the springform pan and press it evenly on the bottom only. Bake 12-15 minutes until lightly golden.

While the crust bakes, wash and dry your food processor. Add one package of cream cheese, the cornstarch, and 1/2 cup of the sugar. Run the processor until it is smooth. Add the remaining cream cheese and sugar and run until smooth. Scrape down the sides and add the eggs and vanilla. Run until smooth. Add the cream and 1/2 cup of the lime curd. Pulse 5 times just to combine, do not overmix. Pour filling over the cooked crust. Place the springform pan inside a reynold's oven turkey roasting bag and roll down the sides of the bag to be level with the top of the pan. Place the bagged pan into a 12 inch cake pan. Boil 3 cups of water in the microwave in a 4 cup pyrex measuring cup, about 3 minutes, watching carefully. Pour the boiling water into the cake pan, so it comes halfway up the bagged springform pan. Place on the middle rack of the oven and bake 1 hour. Turn the oven off, crack the oven door and let it sit in the oven 1 hour. Remove the springform pan from the bag and run a paring knife around the edge of the pan to loosen the cheesecake from the sides, but leave the sides on. Refrigerate overnight. Pull it out of the fridge and let it sit on the counter 1-2 hours before serving. Remove the sides of the pan and cut into 12 wedges with a very sharp knife, wiping the knife on a hot rag between cuts.