Shelly's Recipe

KEY LIME ICEBOX CHEESECAKE

Category: Cheesecake

Crust
1 cup animal cracker crumbs
3 tbsp sugar
1 tsp grated lime zest
4 tbsp unsalted butter, melted and kept warm

Filling
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
1 envelope unflavored gelatin
2/3 cup sugar
1 pound cream cheese, cut into 1-inch chunks and softened 30 to 45 minutes at room temperature
3 tbsp lime juice plus 2 tbsp grated zest from 1 lime
Pinch salt

Garnish
1 lime, halved pole-to-pole and sliced into 12 paper-thin wedges
Sugar for dredging

For the crust: Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 325. Stir animal cracker crumbs, sugar, and zest together in medium bowl, then add butter and stir well with fork until mixture resembles wet sand. Transfer crumbs to 9-inch springform pan and use bottom of measuring cup to firmly press crumbs into even layer over bottom of pan. Bake crust until fragrant and beginning to brown, about 13 minutes. Cool completely on wire rack, at least 30 minutes.

For the filling: Pour 1/4 cup heavy cream into microwave-safe measuring cup. Add gelatin and whisk to combine. Let stand until gelatin is softened, about 5 minutes, then microwave on high power for about 30 seconds, or until cream is bubbling and gelatin is completely dissolved. Set aside.

Beat remaining 1 1/4 cups heavy cream and sugar in large bowl at medium-high speed until soft peaks form, about 2 minutes. Add cream cheese and beat at medium-low speed until combined, about 1 minute (a few coffee bean-sized lumps may remain). Scrape bottom and sides of bowl well with rubber spatula. Add lime juice and salt and continue to beat at medium-low speed until combined, about 1 minute. Scrape bottom and sides of bowl again. Increase speed to medium-high and beat until mixture is smooth, about 3 minutes. Add dissolved gelatin mixture and lime zest and continue to beat at medium-high until smooth and airy, about 2 minutes. Pour filling into cooled crust and, using offset or icing spatula dipped in hot water, spread filling out evenly. Refrigerate for at least 6 hours, but for best results refrigerate overnight.

To serve, wrap hot, damp kitchen towel around springform pan, as shown in photo 1, below right. Unlock pan and carefully lift off sides. Slip thin metal spatula under crust and carefully slide cheesecake onto serving platter.

For the garnish: Coat both sides of lime slices in sugar and space evenly on top of cake, gently twisting the ends in opposite directions and pressing into the filling. Serves 12