Key Lime Cheesecake

An incredible recipe for smooth, creamy, key lime cheesecake! I love make-ahead anything, especially desserts, it makes entertaining so much easier. Your guests will be dazzled by this one!

Ingredients:
Crust:

• 11-12 whole graham crackers
• 7 Tbs of butter, melted

Filling

• 3 – 8 oz packages of cream cheese, room temperature
• 1 cup of sugar
• 1 tsp of vanilla
• 3 eggs, room temperature
• 2/3 cup of key lime juice
• 4 oz of sweetened condensed milk
• 1 Tbs of cornstarch
• 2 tsp of freshly grated lime zest

Topping

• whipped cream
• chopped nuts such as Macadamia or Walnuts

Directions:

Butter a 10″ spring form pan. Process the graham crackers in a food processor until you have fine crumbs.
Place them in a medium bowl and add the melted butter, stir to combine.
Press into the bottom and a little up the sides of a 10″ spring form pan.
In a mixer, beat together the cream cheese, sugar and vanilla until fluffy. Add in the eggs one at a time, beat until mixed well.
Add in the key lime juice, condensed milk, cornstarch and lime zest and pour over the crust.
Bake at 350° for 55 – 60 minutes. Place a small pan of water on the oven rack below the cheesecake.
The cheesecake will look set on the edge and a little soft in the middle. Turn the oven off, crack the door and let the cheesecake cool down slowly for 30 minutes to an hour. (this prevents cracking)
Let cool completely at room temperature then loosen the edges with a knife. Chill for at least 4 hours before serving, overnight is better.
Place on a serving dish, release and remove the sides of the pan.
Top with whipped cream and sprinkle on the nuts, enjoy!