When your Mother-in-Law Gives You Limes…You Make Lime Cheesecake!
My mother-in-law has a smallish lime tree that contently grows in her garden. The tree always has these perfectly green limes asking to be used. Now, I’m not sure what the price for limes are where you live, but where I come from (Pretoria, South Africa), limes are laughably expensive. So, if you can get your hands on them for free, fill a large bag and don’t share with anyone! 😉
I had some cream cheese in the fridge, so I decided to make a cheesecake with these fragrant beauties.
My Go-To Citrus Juicer
Have I told you about the tool I use to extract juice from any citrus? It is actually called a wooden reamer. It is a little time-consuming using, because you have to remove the pips once you have juiced the citrus. But, I have found that it extracts the most juice from any citrus and that is a big win! The other plus for this dandy little tool is that it is inexpensive and fits your already too full drawer easily! You can get yours at most kitchenware stores or at some online shops. The price ranges from about R 50.00 – R 100.00
I have made a few cheesecakes – some baked and some not baked. A big frustration when it comes to baking cheesecakes is that the top sometimes forms a crack. This crack will not influence the taste of the cheesecake whatsoever and if you are adding any topping nobody would even see it, but who doesn’t want a perfectly smooth top? I have compiled a list of tips that I have picked up along my cooking experiences that will help reduce the chances of a crack forming on the top.
Tips for baking a cheesecake & preventing cracks from forming on the top:
• All ingredients should be room temperature when used.
• Don’t use the whisk attachment of your stand mixture. The paddle attachment should be used. The idea is not to beat in air, but rather to combine the ingredients.
• Don’t overbeat the filling (adding too much air). Resting for 5 minutes before adding it to the base is recommended.
• Cover the outside of the pan with 2 layers of foil & bake in a bain-marie. If you can’t bake it in a bain-marie, you can place an oven-proof container filled with hot water on the wire rack with the cheesecake.
• Don’t peek into the oven – the cheesecake might fall.
• The cheesecake is done when the edges are firm, but the centre is slightly wobbly.
• The cheesecake should be chilled for at least 14 hours before serving.
Coconut goes REALLY well with lime. I garnished the cheesecake with come candied lime peel, toasted coconut, and lime-infused cream cheese. You can add a dollop of whipped cream and lime zest to each slice should you want an easy garnish.
Baked Lime Cheesecake
Notes
*Water bath / bain-marie: Place the pan on a large baking tray with sides that come up high. Top with warm. The water should fill ¾ of the pan.
Ingredients
Base:
- 1 packet Tennis Biscuits (200g)
- 120g Butter
- 30ml Flour
Filling:
- 3 Tubs Cream Cheese (250g; room temperature)
- ½ Cup Sour Cream (125ml)
- 160ml Caster Sugar
- 1 Tablespoon Cornstarch (15ml)
- 4 Large Eggs
- 160ml Freshly Squeezed Lime Juice
- Zest of 2 Limes (Finely Diced)
- Desiccated Coconut (garnish)
Instructions
Base:
- Preheat the oven to 180°C.
- Cover the outside of the baking pan with 2 x layers of foil. Make sure that there are no cracks or holes in the foil.
- Crush the biscuits in a food processor or by using a rolling pin until fine crumbs are formed. Add the flour.
- Melt the butter in the microwave. Pour the butter over the crumbs and mix until well combined and without clumps.
- By using your hands, press the biscuit mixture against the bottom of the tart pan / spring-form pan.
- Bake for 10 - 12 minutes.
- Let the base cool down while you prepare the filling.
Filling:
- Combine the cream cheese, sour cream and caster sugar in a large bowl. Mix until smooth. Add the cornstarch, eggs, lime juice and zest and mix until just combined. No not keep mixing (you do not want to incorporate air bubbles).
- Rest the filling for 5 minutes. Add the filling to the pan.
- You can either bake the cheesecake in a water bath / bain-marie* (this is my preferred method), or you can bake it on the oven rack and add an oven-proof container filled with hot water to the oven.
- Bake on 180°C for 20 minutes and then turn down the heat to 150°C for 45 – 50 minutes.
- The cheesecake is ready when just set. The centre should still have a slight wobble. Once done, turn off the oven and let the cheesecake cool in the oven.
- Quickly toast the coconut in a pad and add to the edges of the cheesecake just before service.