Key Lime Cheesecake

It has taken all day to make cheesecake! Ridiculous!

I decided to use my new mini cheesecake pan which makes 12 individual cheesecakes. This recipe makes 24 mini and 6 cupcake size cheesecakes. So instead of putting together one 9-10" cheesecake and walking away while it bakes for 1 hour, I made 12 mini crusts, baked for 6 minutes, waited for the crusts to cool and then filled with the cheesecakey goodness, baked for 20 minutes, allowed to cool for 20 minutes, attempted to remove from pan, (more difficult than you would imagine), ruined the first one, ate in the name of science, allowed to cool 20 more minutes, removed and plopped into paper muffin liners, and started the whole process over again!

My day was a lot like the run-on sentence above only sweatier. (The only reason this makes 6 cupcake size cheesecakes is because I didn't have anymore graham cracker crumb crust so I plopped a Wal-Mart brand butter cookie, since they are round and I didn't have any vanilla wafers, into the bottom of a paper liner, filled them and baked just so I could be finished with the mess.) My instinct is to leave the whole mess behind and just take the box of graham crackers to Lake Powell and pretend that is what I wanted to serve for dessert. I am sure once I squirt some whip cream on the top and put a raspberry for decoration they will be most delicious, after all I did sample one straight from the oven and we all know cheesecake improves with some ripening time. It was tart and creamy and I'm sure will be a recipe we use again. I am not prepared to give any flares at this time, but will post a rating after I poll the Lake Powell group for their opinions.

In the meantime, in case someone wants to test this recipe on their own here it is. I'm not sure I am in love with my new mini-cheesecake pan, but will try again when I have another entire day to waste! Or make half a recipe.

Key Lime Cheesecake (Southern Living All-time Favorites)

2 cups graham cracker crumbs
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup butter, melted
Stir together and press on bottom and 1 inch up the sides of a 9" springform pan.
Bake at 350 for 8 minutes, cool.
Beat at medium speed with an electric mixer until fluffy:
3 (8- ounce) packages cream cheese, softened.
Gradually add 1 1/4 cups sugar beating until blended.
Add 3 eggs, 1 at a time, beatin well after each addition.
Stir in 8 oz. sour cream
1 1/2 tsp. lime zest
1/2 cup Key lime juice
Pour into crust.
Bake at 325 for 1 hour and 5 minutes; turn oven off. Partially open oven door; let
stand in oven for 15 minutes. Remove from oven immediately run a knife around
edge of pan, releasing sides.
Cool completely in pan on a wire rack; cover and chill 8 hours. Garnish if desired.
Store in refigerator. Serves 10-12

To make mini-cheesecakes I put 1 T. graham cracker crust crumbs in bottom of
pan and baked for 6 minutes. Allowed to cool and filled cup almost to top. Baked
for 20-25 minutes.