KEY LIME SWIRL CHEESECAKE BARS (Here in South Florida, I am only about 4 hours away from Key West where the Key Lime is known for. It just so happens I love Key Lime pie so I thought it would be so good to try this with cheesecake and into bars for finger eating.) Ingredients: FOR THE CRUST: 2 cups graham crackers or digestive biscuits, crushed 1 stick butter, melted FOR THE LIME CURD: 1 stick butter, softened 1 cup granulated sugar 2 large eggs 2 large egg yolks ⅓ cup + 4 tbsp fresh lime juice FOR THE CHEESECAKE FILLING: 2 8oz packs cream cheese, softened ½ cup granulated sugar 2 large eggs 1 large egg white 2 tbsp plain/all purpose flour ½ cup sour cream 1 tsp vanilla extract green and yellow food colouring (liquid or gel) Directions: FOR THE LIME CURD: Beat butter and sugar into a large bowl. Slowly add the eggs and the yolks one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Pour in the lime juice and mix again. Expect the mixture to look curdled, this is normal. Cook the mixture over a medium heat in a medium-sized saucepan until it looks smooth and no longer curdled. Increase the heat slightly and cook, whisking constantly until the mixture thickens. Using a thermometer, cook until the mixture reaches 170℉. Remove the curd from the heat and transfer into a bowl. Press plastic wrap in the surface of the lime curd to keep a skin from forming. Chill the lime curd in a refrigerator, the curd will thicken more as it cools. It will keep in the fridge for approx. 2 weeks. FOR THE CRUST: Preheat the oven to 325℉, line a 10×10 inch pan with parchment that overhangs the edges. Mix the butter and graham crackers or digestive biscuits together and press into the bottom of the pan evenly. Bake the crust for 5 minutes and allow to cool completely. FOR THE CHEESECAKE FILLING: Tint ¾ of a cup of the lime curd with the green and yellow food coloring until a lime-rind green and set aside. Beat cream cheese and sugar in a large bowl with mixer on medium-high speed until smooth. Beat in eggs on low speed until blended then beat in the sour cream, vanilla and plain/all purpose flour until just blended. Remove 1 cup of batter and reserve. Pour the remaining batter over the crust. Mix ½ cup of the tinted lime curd with 1 cup of the reserved batter. Place spoonfuls or dollops of this mixture, in no particular fashion, on top of the plain cheesecake batter. Repeat with the remaining ¼ cup lime curd onto the previous mixture. Using a skewer or toothpick, swirl the mixture together to create a marbled effect. Bake for 35 minutes at 325℉. Allow to cool completely in the pan then refrigerate. Once chilled, lift the cheesecake out of the pan with the parchment overhang and cut into bars before serving.
Posted on: Sun, 28 Jul 2013 22:57:40 +0000