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 clear pure vanilla |  parchment circle in pan |  graham crackers hold shape when squeezed |  graham crust |  |
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I looked at about 5 or 6 recipes for baked and no-bake LIME CHEESECAKE to make for Easter Brunch, then took what I liked from each ~ and revised what I didn't like. For example, 1 recipe said to zest 16 limes! I lost interest after zesting just 1 little lime, so unless you want to spend an hour zesting limes, 1 is more than enough (and I think too many green flecks in food is a little "off-putting" anyways).
They all called for Key Limes, but considering regular limes were $.25 at the store, and that I would probably pay 10x that for Key limes (there's a Whole Foods near me too), I decided that I didn't want to spend the extra money (or deal with the "beads" inside Key limes). In fact, since the recipe calls for 1/3 cup lime juice, I went the cheaper & easier route of just using a new bottle of lime juice instead! I used the extra time I saved to make the SUGARED LIME SLICES to garnish the top instead. **
My recipes are for real people, with real budgets and not a staff of people to spend hours zesting limes for them! You can make this a day or 2 ahead ~ loosely cover with plastic wrap and keep in the refrigerator.
No-bake LIME CHEESECAKE
1 cup graham crackers (mine was a heaping cup)
2 TB sugar………………………..5 TB butter, melted
2 packages (8 oz. each) cream cheese, room temperature
1 can (14 oz.) sweetened condensed milk
1/3 cup fresh lime juice (or new-ish bottle of lime juice), plus grated zest from as many limes as you have the time or patience to do (I just did one)
~ thinly sliced lime rounds for serving (you can use the denuded one), or sugared limes are even better!
1/2 tsp. pure vanilla extract (clear is best, if you can find REAL clear outside of Mexico)
1/2 cup cold heavy whipping cream
***
I used an 8” springform pan, and cut a parchment paper circle to put in the bottom. (easier to slide onto a serving plate later) {All the other recipes called for 10" springform pans, and that would make a very short cheesecake, so 8" is so much better!)
Beat together cracker crumbs, sugar, and salt in electric mixer bowl. Gradually stir in butter (until it’s all in there) then beat on medium until it looks like wet sand and holds together when squeezed. Press evenly into the bottom and up a little ways of the sides of your pan. Freeze until firm (15 minutes or so, while you make the filling).
Rinse the graham crumbs out of your mixer bowl ~ then beat cream cheese and condensed milk on medium-high speed until fluffy, (about 3-5 minutes). On low ~ add lime juice, zest, and vanilla. As soon as the liquid is in the cheese mixture, you can turn beaters up to medium high and beat about a minute more
I scraped cheese mixture into a large bowl with my rubber scraper and rinsed out mixer bowl. Then whip heavy cream to stiff peaks (with whisk attachment). Gently fold into cream-cheese mixture with your rubber scraper. Spread over chilled crust ~ smoothing top with the back of a small spoon (I did a swirl pattern, so I could put the lime slices standing in the center). Refrigerate for a few hours ~ then cover with plastic and refrigerate at least another 10 hours (or up to 3 days).
Run a knife carefully around the sides of the springform pan before releasing sides of pan. If you put the parchment circle in there, it should slide right off the bottom of the pan. But, if not, run your knife under the cheesecake before sliding it off onto a serving plate. Serve ~ garnished with thin lime slices or Sugared Lime Slices (or even just some fresh mint sprigs)
OPTIONAL SUGARED LIMES SLICES (garnish)
1 cup granulated sugar + another 1 cup of sugar for later
1 cup water
2-3 small limes (sliced about 1/8” thick ~ take out seeds)
Combine water and 1 cup of sugar in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil and cook just until the sugar is dissolved. Lower to simmer ~ add lime slices and cook for 20-30
minutes more.
Put the last cup of sugar in a bowl, and dip the sugared lime slices to coat each side well with the sugar. (Use tongs ~ be careful b/c they’ll be VERY HOT) Lay them to cool on a rack (over waxed paper to catch any drips). I re-dipped them in sugar about an hour later too. Let cool & dry completely (overnight is best ~ but your cheesecake isn’t ready to eat yet anyway)
A beautiful EDIBLE GARNISH
They all called for Key Limes, but considering regular limes were $.25 at the store, and that I would probably pay 10x that for Key limes (there's a Whole Foods near me too), I decided that I didn't want to spend the extra money (or deal with the "beads" inside Key limes). In fact, since the recipe calls for 1/3 cup lime juice, I went the cheaper & easier route of just using a new bottle of lime juice instead! I used the extra time I saved to make the SUGARED LIME SLICES to garnish the top instead. **
My recipes are for real people, with real budgets and not a staff of people to spend hours zesting limes for them! You can make this a day or 2 ahead ~ loosely cover with plastic wrap and keep in the refrigerator.
No-bake LIME CHEESECAKE
1 cup graham crackers (mine was a heaping cup)
2 TB sugar………………………..5 TB butter, melted
2 packages (8 oz. each) cream cheese, room temperature
1 can (14 oz.) sweetened condensed milk
1/3 cup fresh lime juice (or new-ish bottle of lime juice), plus grated zest from as many limes as you have the time or patience to do (I just did one)
~ thinly sliced lime rounds for serving (you can use the denuded one), or sugared limes are even better!
1/2 tsp. pure vanilla extract (clear is best, if you can find REAL clear outside of Mexico)
1/2 cup cold heavy whipping cream
***
I used an 8” springform pan, and cut a parchment paper circle to put in the bottom. (easier to slide onto a serving plate later) {All the other recipes called for 10" springform pans, and that would make a very short cheesecake, so 8" is so much better!)
Beat together cracker crumbs, sugar, and salt in electric mixer bowl. Gradually stir in butter (until it’s all in there) then beat on medium until it looks like wet sand and holds together when squeezed. Press evenly into the bottom and up a little ways of the sides of your pan. Freeze until firm (15 minutes or so, while you make the filling).
Rinse the graham crumbs out of your mixer bowl ~ then beat cream cheese and condensed milk on medium-high speed until fluffy, (about 3-5 minutes). On low ~ add lime juice, zest, and vanilla. As soon as the liquid is in the cheese mixture, you can turn beaters up to medium high and beat about a minute more
I scraped cheese mixture into a large bowl with my rubber scraper and rinsed out mixer bowl. Then whip heavy cream to stiff peaks (with whisk attachment). Gently fold into cream-cheese mixture with your rubber scraper. Spread over chilled crust ~ smoothing top with the back of a small spoon (I did a swirl pattern, so I could put the lime slices standing in the center). Refrigerate for a few hours ~ then cover with plastic and refrigerate at least another 10 hours (or up to 3 days).
Run a knife carefully around the sides of the springform pan before releasing sides of pan. If you put the parchment circle in there, it should slide right off the bottom of the pan. But, if not, run your knife under the cheesecake before sliding it off onto a serving plate. Serve ~ garnished with thin lime slices or Sugared Lime Slices (or even just some fresh mint sprigs)
OPTIONAL SUGARED LIMES SLICES (garnish)
1 cup granulated sugar + another 1 cup of sugar for later
1 cup water
2-3 small limes (sliced about 1/8” thick ~ take out seeds)
Combine water and 1 cup of sugar in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil and cook just until the sugar is dissolved. Lower to simmer ~ add lime slices and cook for 20-30
minutes more.
Put the last cup of sugar in a bowl, and dip the sugared lime slices to coat each side well with the sugar. (Use tongs ~ be careful b/c they’ll be VERY HOT) Lay them to cool on a rack (over waxed paper to catch any drips). I re-dipped them in sugar about an hour later too. Let cool & dry completely (overnight is best ~ but your cheesecake isn’t ready to eat yet anyway)
A beautiful EDIBLE GARNISH
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