Rosemary Lime Cheesecake Recipes

LEMON CHEESECAKE WITH LEMON-ROSEMARY SHORTBREAD CRUST

Steps:

• For the crust: Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Place an oven rack in the center position, without any racks above it.
• Place the cookies in a food processor; pulse to the texture of sand. Add the crushed cookies to a 10-inch springform pan and pour in the melted butter. Using your hands, mix together the cookie crumbs and butter until they are completely combined and hold together when pinched. Firmly press the cookie crust into the bottom of the pan. Press down on the crust with the bottom of a cup to ensure it is tightly packed.
• Bake the crust for 12 to 14 minutes, or until golden brown all over. Remove from oven and let cool. When the pan is cool enough to handle, wrap it in foil three-quarters of the way up the sides of the pan--this will prevent any water from getting into the cheesecake while it is baked in a water bath.
• For the cheesecake: In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, add the cream cheese, granulated sugar, sour cream, eggs, lemon juice, lemon zest, vanilla extract and salt. Slowly turn the mixer up to medium-high speed; continue to mix for 2 minutes, until the ingredients are completely combined and smooth.
• Set aside 1/4 cup of the lemon curd and reserve it for the topping. With a rubber spatula, fold the remaining lemon curd into the cheesecake mixture. Pour the mixture over the cooled crust and spread it evenly, making sure to flatten the top. Gently tap the pan a few times on a flat surface to even out the mixture.
• Use the reserved lemon curd to make a fun design in the top of the cheesecake. For instance, you can dollop 15 small dots, about a heaping 1/2 teaspoon each, around the border of the cake and then 6 small dots towards the center of the cake and 1 dot directly in the center. Drag a skewer around the center of the first ring of dots to pull the lemon curd into a teardrop shape. Repeat with the interior circle of lemon curd drops.
• Place the foil-lined springform pan in a large roasting pan. Fill the roasting pan with hot water until it reaches about 1 inch up the sides of the pan. Bake the cheesecake for 55 to 60 minutes, until the edges are set but the center still has a pudding-like jiggle. Remove from the oven and let sit 10 minutes before removing the pan from the water bath. Let the cheesecake sit another 30 minutes. While the cheesecake is still warm, run a paring knife around the inside edge of the pan and then release the sides of the pan. (If you do this after the cheesecake has cooled completely, the cake may tear slightly.) Let the cheesecake cool completely before slicing and serving. Refrigerate any cheesecake not being served immediately.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 13-by-9-inch baking pan with foil, leaving a 2-inch overhang on two sides. Lightly grease the foil and sides of the pan with butter.
• In a food processor, pulse the sugar with the lemon zest and rosemary until well combined. Remove 2 tablespoons of the sugar mixture and reserve.
• Add the butter, vanilla and salt to the food processor with the sugar and pulse until combined. Add the flour, about 1 cup at a time, pulsing to combine after each addition. After the last addition, you may have to stir and scrape down the sides of the food processor to help incorporate all of the flour. Continue to pulse until the dough comes together.
• Turn the dough out into the prepared baking pan and press it in evenly. Poke the dough all over with a fork and sprinkle it with the reserved sugar.
• Use a knife to cut the dough into approximately 3-by-1-inch rectangles (or whichever shape you prefer). Bake until golden brown at the edges and golden in the center, about 25 minutes. As soon as the cookies come out of the oven, use a bench scraper or knife to re-cut the lines of the cookies. Cool in the pan for 15 minutes, then carefully remove the cookies with the foil and cool completely on a rack.

KEY LIME CHEESECAKE I

Steps:

• Combine cookie or graham cracker crumbs with butter or margarine. Press into bottom and partially up sides of 9 inch springform pan. Refrigerate.
• In a large bowl, beat with an electric mixer the cream cheese, sugar, lime peel, and cornstarch until smooth and fluffy. Beat in eggs one at a time, blending just until smooth. Add key lime juice with mixer on low. Finish mixing by hand. Do not over beat, or cake will crack during baking. Pour batter into prepared crust.
• Bake at 300 degrees F (150 degrees C) for 55 to 65 minutes, or until set. To minimize cracking, place a shallow pan half full of hot water on lower rack during baking.
• Turn oven off, and let cheesecake stand in oven 30 minutes with the door open at least 4 inches. Remove from oven. Refrigerate cake overnight, and up to three days.

COOL LIME CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• In a bowl, combine cookie crumbs and sugar; stir in butter. Press onto the bottom and 1 in. up the side of a greased 10-in. springform pan. Place pan on a baking sheet. Bake at 375° for 8 minutes. Place pan on a wire rack to cool. Reduce heat to 325°. , In a large bowl, beat cream cheese and sugar until smooth. Add sour cream and flour; beat well. Add eggs; beat on low speed just until combined. Stir in the lime juice, vanilla and food coloring if desired just until mixed. Pour into crust. Return pan to baking sheet., Bake for 50-55 minutes or until center is almost set. Cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Carefully run a knife around the edge of pan to loosen; cool 1 hour longer. Refrigerate overnight. Remove sides of pan. Garnish with whipped cream and lime. Refrigerate leftovers.

KEY LIME CHEESECAKES WITH RASPBERRY SWIRLS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease 2 mini muffin pans and line with fancy paper liners.
• Combine the cookies, butter, and lime zest in a bowl until evenly moistened; press into the bottom of the prepared pans. I find a shot glass works wonderfully for this.
• Bake in the preheated oven 5 minutes; allow to cool.
• In a large bowl, stir together the cream cheese and sugar. Gradually stir in the eggs, key lime zest, key lime juice, and vanilla extract. Pour the mixture into the prepared cups, filling almost to the top. Spoon a drop of preserves on top of each one. Swirl preserves into the cream cheese mixture with a toothpick.
• Bake in preheated oven 13 to 15 minutes. Allow to cool completely before removing from pans, 6 to 8 hours.

ROSEMARY LEMON CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 300°.
• Grease and flour a 9 inch springform pan.
• Beat butter and sugar until light.
• Beat in ricotta cheese, flour, baking powder, and vanilla.
• Stir in eggs, rosemary, lemon peel until just combined. Do not beat.
• Pour into prepared pan.
• Bake 40 minutes. Turn oven off. Leave cheesecake in the oven for 1 hour.
• Remove from oven, cool on a rack for 15 minutes. Run a knife arond the sides of the pan. Allow to cool for another 30 minutes. Remove sides of pan and allow the cake to finish cooling.
• Refrigerate at least 4 hours before serving. Top with a sprig of rosemary.

LEMON-ROSEMARY LAYER CAKE

Steps:

• In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs and yolk, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Combine the flour, baking powder, salt and baking soda; add to the creamed mixture alternately with sour cream, beating well after each addition. Beat in the lemon juice, zest and rosemary., Transfer to three greased and floured 9-in. round baking pans. Bake at 350° until edges begin to brown, 25-30 minutes. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks to cool completely., For frosting, in a large bowl, beat cream cheese until fluffy. Add the confectioners' sugar, lemon zest and juice; beat until smooth., Spread frosting between layers and over top and sides of cake. Refrigerate leftovers.