Key Lime Cheesecake

This is my favorite cheesecake of all time!  It sounds a little weird, but it is fabulous and very easy to make.  I like to serve it with fresh strawberries.  It is very rich, creamy, and tangy.  You can buy key lime juice by the bottle in most grocery stores.  I do not recommend squeezing your own juice from lots of itty bitty keylimes, but feel free if you are feeling ambitious.

You will want to bake this cake at least 1 day before you plan to eat it.  It needs to cool in the oven for at least one hour, then go into the fridge to cool completely.  Resist the urge to open the oven while the cake is baking or cooling.  Be sure to put a baking sheet under your springform pan while the cake is baking to catch any dripping butter.  This recipe does not call for a water bath, but you can try using one if you like.

Key Lime Cheesecake

Crust
1 1/2 C. graham cracker crumbs
1/2 C. sugar
1/2 C. melted butter

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Mix all ingredients together and press into the bottom of a 9 or 10 inch springform pan.  Bake for 8 to 10 minutes.

Filling
2 lb. softened cream cheese (Philadelphia cream cheese tastes best)
2 C. sugar
6 room temperature eggs
1 cup butter, melted
2 T. vanilla
2 T. flour
1/4 C. key lime juice
2-3 drops each of yellow and green food coloring (optional)

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.  Add cream cheese and sugar to work bowl of mixer and cream together well.  Add eggs and butter, mix until blended.  Add remaining ingredients and mix until well blended and creamy.  This takes about 5 minutes.  **Optional step**  Add 2-3 drops of green and yellow food coloring to make a nice key lime color.

Pour filling mixture into cooked crust.  Bake at 325 for 30 minutes.  Reduce heat to 250 degrees and continue to bake for 1 hour, then turn off the oven and allow the cake to cool with the oven door shut for at least one hour.

Topping
2 C. sour cream
1/4 C. sugar

Mix together and smooth over the top of cooled cake.  Put in fridge and cool for at least 24 hours, or freeze at this point.  To serve, run a knife around the sides of the pan and remove.  Cut cake with a knife that has been dipped in very hot water, and run hot water over knife between each cut.  You can decorate the cake with sliced kiwi and strawberries, and serve with sliced sweetened strawberries.