Lime Cheesecake

Total Time: 1 hr 10 mins Preparation Time: 15 mins Cook Time: 55 mins

Ingredients

• 1 1/4 cups graham cracker crumbs
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1/4 cup butter or 1/4 cup margarine, melted
• 1 teaspoon lime rind, grated
• 24 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 4 eggs
• 1 tablespoon lime rind, grated
• 1/4 cup key lime juice
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 cups sour cream
• 3 tablespoons sugar
• fresh strawberries
• lime slice (optional)

Recipe

• 1 combine graham cracker crumbs, 2 tablespoons of sugar and melted butter and stir well.
• 2 press crumb mixture evenly over bottom and up sides of a 9-inch springform pan.
• 3 preheat oven to 300f.
• 4 beat cream cheese until light and fluffy; gradually add 3/4 cup sugar, beating well.
• 5 add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
• 6 stir in lime rind, juice and vanilla.
• 7 pour mixture into prepared pan and bake for 50 minutes.
• 8 combine sour cream and 3 tablespoons sugar; stir well and spread evenly over cheesecake.
• 9 bake at 400 degrees for 5 minutes.
• 10 remove from oven to a wire rack, immediately run a knife around the edge of the pan to loosen the cheesecake from the side of the pan (this helps prevent cracking).
• 11 let cool to room temperature on a wire rack; chill at least 4 hours.
• 12 to serve, carefully remove sides of springform pan, if desired, garnish with strawberries and lime slices.