The cheesecakes were smooth and creamy, and so easy to throw together. I increased the lime zest and juice just slightly, using 1 full lime for my scaled back version of the recipe. I heard the lime flavor was perfect so if you really like lime you may want to use 3 limes, instead of 2, for a full recipe. I chose a strawberry sauce to top my cheesecakes – the sweet berries and tart lime are always a great combination in my book, and I think this dessert needed a little color to brighten things up. Having the ability to now bake cheesecake in manageable portions like this could really spell trouble for me!
Lime Cheesecake with Strawberry Sauce
Cheesecake from Use Real Butter
(You can make a 9-inch cheesecake using this recipe- just increase the baking time to 55-65 minutes.)
Ingredients:
Crust
- 2 cups graham cracker crumbs
- 6 tablespoons sugar
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
Cheesecake
- 3 (8 oz.) packages cream cheese, at room temperature
- 1 cup sugar
- 3 large eggs, at room temperature
- zest and juice of 2 limes
Strawberry Sauce
- 1 pint fresh strawberries, hulled and coarsely chopped
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons cold water
Directions:
Preheat oven to 325 F. In a medium bowl combine the graham cracker crumbs, sugar and butter. Use a fork to toss together until the graham cracker crumbs are evenly moistened. Divide and press into the bottom of the mini springform pans. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese on medium-high speed until smooth and fluffy. Gradually mix in the sugar. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating just until incorporated. Mix in the lime juice and zest; give the batter one final stir with a rubber spatula. Divide the filling evenly among the mini springform pans, pouring over the graham cracker crust.
Add enough hot water to a roasting pan to fill it halfway; place it on the bottom of the oven. Bake the mini cheesecakes for 25-33 minutes, or until the center is just barely set. Turn the oven off and use a wooden spoon to prop the over door open a few inches. Leave the cheesecakes in the oven for 30 minutes before removing them and transferring to a wire rack. Let cool for 10 minutes then remove the sides of the pans and continue to cool to room temperature. Cover and refrigerate the cheesecakes for at least 8 hours.
To make the strawberry sauce: combine the strawberries, sugar, lemon juice and water in the bowl of a food processor. Puree until the mixture is smooth. Strain through a fine mesh sieve into a clean bowl to remove the seeds. Taste and add additional sugar, if desired. Refrigerate until ready to use.
Top the cheesecake with the strawberry sauce before serving.
Makes 6 mini (about 4-inch) cheesecakes.
