With a Heavenly Candied Gingersnap Nut Crust!
Difficulty: Moderate
Prep Time: 45 minutes
Cooking Time: 1 hour, 20 minutes
Cooling Time: 3-4 hours
Ingredients
4 packages of cream cheese, room temperature
zest of 6 key limes
juice of 6 key limes
1 can sweetened condensed milk
1/2 cup superfine sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
4 eggs
Crust
Ingredients
10 gingersnap cookies, crushed
1 cup candied pecans, crushed
1/2 cup Macadamia nuts, crushed
1/2 stick butter, melted
Cooking Tools
Bottom & side release pan
Food processor
Large mixing bowl
Electric hand mixer
Foil
Directions
Preheat oven to 325 Degrees F. In a food processor, add in candied pecans and macadamia nuts first and pulse until it resembles crumbs. Then add in the gingersnap cookies and pulse to medium size crumbs before adding melted butter. Place buttered crumbs into the bottom and line the bottom evenly. In a large mixing bowl, add; cream cheese and zest and whip cream cheese on high for a minute. Add in the key lime juice, sweetened condensed milk. sugar, vanilla extract and whip until smooth. Add in one egg at a time until thoroughly incorporated. Line some foil at the outside bottom of pan, just in case it leaks. Place cheesecake mixture into your crumb lined pan and bake in the oven for 1 hour. Turn off oven and leave the oven door slightly ajar and keep cheesecake in the oven for additional 20 minutes. Remove cheese cake and set aside to come to room temperature. Release sides and remove before chilling in the refrigerator for a few hours. Garnish with whip cream and a slice of key lime (optional).
Serves 8-10
