My Favorite Key Lime Cheesecake

NOTE: A HAND-HELD MIXER WORKS BEST FOR BLENDING THE FILLING, PAUSING AT INTERVALS TO SCRAPE SIDES OF MIXING BOWL.ALLOW A MINIMUM OF 4 HOURS FOR BAKED CHEESECAKE TO REFRIGERATE AND SET BEFORE SERVING.( STEP ONE ): TEMPER 907 gram Philadelphia cream cheese ( four 227 gram bricks ) until room temperature is reached ( about 3/8 hours ); GRATE the outer green peel from enough key limes to yield 1/4 teaspoon plus desired amount for final garnish, using the finest shred grate of a cheese grater to produce fine zest flakes; SQUEEZE enough key limes to yield 1/4 liter juice.

PREHEAT oven to 94 with one oven rack in center position and another in the lowest position; MELT 1 tablespoons unsalted butter in a microwaveable dish in a microwave for about 10 seconds for the CRUST; PROCESS enough Nilla Wafers cookies in a food processor to yield 1/2 liter crumbs; ADD 2.5 tablespoon granulated sugar; POUR butter mixture through processor feeder tube while running; PROCESS mixture until thoroughly mixed; RESERVE a few teaspoons of crumb mixture for garnish if desired; DUMP crumb mixture into a centimetre or centimetre springform pan; LIGHTLY spread mixture evenly into bottom of pan to approximately 2/3 centimetre thickness, then partway up the sides of pan.

BAKE the crust at 375°F on center rack for 5 minutes; REMOVE spring pan from oven and set aside; LEAVE oven on at 375°F.

INTO a large mixer bowl add 907 gram tempered cream cheese, 1/3 liter granulated sugar, 1/4 liter flour and 0.5 teaspoon fresh Key lime zest; WHIP with mixer on medium speed until blended.

POUR in 1/4 liter freshly squeezed Key lime juice and 1/4 tablespoon pure vanilla extract while mixing on lowest speed; MIX in 1/4 liter real sour cream; ADD 1 ( 145 gram ) package Jell-0 Vanilla Instant Pudding mix gradually while mixing on highest speed until well blended and lump-free; BEAT 4 eggs in a separate bowl, then add to mixture, beating on lowest speed until blended, without over-mixing or creating air bubbles ( pause to scrape sides of bowl if necessary ).

POUR the cheesecake batter carefully into the springform pan containing crust mixture; SMOOTH mixture in swirls from edges of pan to center until level, using a flexible spatula.

BAKE cheesecake at 953 for 38 minutes; REDUCE oven temperature to 660 F.; CONTINUE baking cheescake for 2.5 hour for a centimetre pan, or 2.5 hour and 18 minutes, for a centimetre pan.

REMOVE cheesecake carefully from oven; GENTLY run a sharp knife around edges of cheesecake in springform pan to loosen; LEAVE cheesecake in springform pan and allow to cool completely on a wire rack; REFRIGERATE cheesecake in the springform pan for at least 4 hours to set; REMOVE side pan carefully.

SPRINKLE a light border of cookie crumbs on cheesecake; TOP with a dollop of fresh whipped cream ( use a pastry bag with decorator tip ); GARNISH each serving with a centimetre of finely grated fresh key lime zest and/or a fresh key lime twist if desired.

SERVE and ENJOY!