Despite the fact that I am in snowy New England it’s February, here is a little bit of tropical sunshine to warm you up, still on the topic of “Citrus” : Coconut Key Lime Pie Cheesecake, that I made as a birthday present for a friend whilst I am visiting up in the Bangor/Orono, Maine area. I have to say that the result came out phenomenal. It’s light, it’s fluffy, it’s sweet and tart, and has a lovely, clean finish. Almost all cheesecakes are quite a bit of work but the result here was great. I am very pleased.
Ingredients
for the crust
1 cups graham cracker crumbs
1/4 cup sweetened shredded coconut, toasted and made to crumbs in the food processor
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
for the filling
2 8 oz. packages cream cheese, very soft (full fat is best)
1 cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1/2 cup sour cream at room temperature
1/4 cup key lime juice at room temperature
1 teaspoon key lime zest (or regular lime zest)
2 large eggs at room temperature
1 large egg yolk at room temperature
for decorating and topping
1 cup cold heavy whipping cream
3 tablespoons powdered sugar
1 teaspoon coconut extract
3/4 cup sweetened shredded coconut, toasted
lime slices and/or zest to garnish, optional
You will also need a 6-inch round 2 3/4” high springform pan, a 9×13-inch brownie and aluminum foil.
Directions
Heat oven to 350F. Spray your springform pan with baking spray.
Combine graham cracker crumbs, coconut crumbs, sugar and melted butter until evenly combined. Add to the prepared springform pan and firmly press the crumbs down on the bottom of the pan only (not up the sides) using your fingers or a stiff spatula until you have a compact, even layer. Bake crust at 350F for 14-15 minutes. Cool completely on a wire rack. Drop the oven temperature to 325F. Once the pan and crust are completely cooled, wrap the pan with aluminum foil around the bottom and up the sides of the pan, as the cheesecake-baking step will be in a water bath.
Make your cheesecake filling by placing cream cheese in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and beat on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add sugar and cornstarch and beat for 3 additional minutes on medium speed. Add the sour cream, lime juice, and lime zest, vanilla, and beat until blended. Add the eggs one at a time followed by the egg yolk, beating as little as possible, just until combined after each addition (over-beating once you add the eggs can cause cracks and the cheesecake to deflate).
Pour mixture onto cooled crust. Tap the pan on counter a few times to get rid of any air bubbles. Place the pan with crust in the brownie pan and place into the oven. Fill the base of the brownie pan with an inch or so of water. Bake for approximately 60-70 minutes, then turn off the oven, crack it open, but leave the cheesecake in the oven for an additional 30 minutes. Then remove the cake to a cooling rack to cool completely. Once at room temperature, run a knife around the edge of the pan to loosen. Refrigerate until completely cooled, at least 3 hours but up to 24.
Combine cream, powdered sugar and coconut extract in a chilled bowl and whip to stiff peaks. Decorate the cheesecake with whipped cream, toasted coconut, lime slices and zest. Keep chilled until ready to serve.
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