Key Lime Cheesecake

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I can't resist picking up a bag of key limes when I spy them in the grocery.  They are just too cute to pass up.  And I looooove anything lime.

After reviewing my Pinterest boards and flipping through my cookbooks I decided to find a recipe for a key lime cheesecake.  Several caught my eye, but I liked the simplicity of this one I found on food.com.  It is actually called The Cheesecake Factory's Key Lime Cheesecake - my version.  While we don't have a Cheesecake Factory here, I do love it but rarely have any room left for their namesake dessert after trying to make my way through their enormous portions!  

Not only was this cheesecake pretty easy to make, it was delicious.  Not too tart.  Not too sweet.  One co-worker turned his nose up when I told him I had brought in a key lime treat stating he hates key lime but later told me it was delicious.  Another co-worker complimented it as he was returning the empty container to my office and added he doesn't like cheesecake.  While he stood at my desk literally picking the crumbs out of the container I asked why he tried it if he didn't like cheesecake.  He smiled sheepishly and said, "Well, you're a really good cook."  I couldn't come up with a better compliment if I tried!

Key Lime Cheesecake
slightly adapted from here - food.com

For the crust:

2 cups graham cracker crumbs (about 2 sleeves of graham crackers)
1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
1/4 cup sugar

For the filling:

3 8-ounce packages of cream cheese, softened (I use low-fat)
1 cup sugar 
1 cup sour cream (again, I use low-fat)
1/4 cup flour
4 eggs, room temperature
2 teaspoons vanilla
1/2 cup key lime juice, freshly squeezed or bottled (you can use 3/4 cup if you prefer a tarter cheesecake)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.  

If you are making your own graham cracker crumbs, place the crackers in a food processor and pulse until they are finely ground.  Combine the crumbs, butter, and sugar and place in a 9 or 10-inch springform pan.  Press the crumbs over the bottom of the pan and about halfway up the sides.  I find a metal measuring cup is a good tool to help press the crumbs evenly.

Place the pan on a baking sheet and bake the crust for 7-8 minutes.  Remove from oven and set aside to cool.

Place the cream cheese in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment (a hand held mixer will work fine too) and mix on medium speed for a minute or so.  Add the sugar and blend until smooth.  Mix in the sour cream and flour.  Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing until the egg is incorporated before adding the next one.  Scrape down the sides of the bowl and add in the vanilla and key lime juice and mix until smooth.

Pour the filling into the cooled crust and bake at 375 for 15 minutes.  Reduce the oven temperature to 250 degrees and bake for 50 minutes for a 10-inch pan and 55 minutes for a 9-inch pan.  Place the cheesecake, in the pan, on a wire rack and cool for 20 minutes.  Take a sharp knife and run it gently around the edge of the pan.  Do not unlock your springform pan.  Refrigerate for at least 6 hours before serving.