no fuss vanilla key lime cheesecake
Nothing says summer like key lime. Well, I guess tomatoes, too, but we ain’t talking about our scarlet nightshade right now.
Key lime pie is one of J’s favorite desserts, and a treat he enjoys making when the opportunity crops up. I myself find it alright but don’t go out of my way for a slice – I think the biggest appeal of its existence is how stupid easy the pie is to make, just key lime juice and eggs and sweetened condensed milk, more or less.
Since I’ve blown up with lemon flavored treats recently, like these Triple Lemon Cupcakes, I wanted to give limes some love in a simple summer dessert. This cheesecake riff does not require any of the complications of normal cheesecake, like a water bath or leaving it in the oven forever after the baking time. Instead, like the burnt basque cheesecake, all the aesthetic perfection is chucked in the trash in favor of #nofilter authenticity.
Think: cracks, browning, ballooning, dipping. The more flaws, the merrier. Rest assured, though, that the silky texture is fully intact and appearances aside, this cheesecake is quite comparable to the classic.
Put The Lime in the Cake, You Nut
Puff pastry serves as our honorary crust to simplify the recipe even more. The buttery layers just need a bit of rolling out, shaping in a pan (I use a 9 x 9 cake pan spread with parchment and buttered lightly), and setting in the fridge while you make the filling.
I start by sifting the lime zest with the sugar to help incorporate it into the batter more easily. Blah blah blah, I say that every time, but its worth repeating since it’s a useful technique. Then, cream the sugar with the cream cheese until super satiny.
Whip in eggs, and finish off with plain Greek yogurt, lots of key lime juice, vanilla, and salt. Pour the batter into the pan and bake until the center is set up and no longer performing The Wobble under the bright oven lights.
Decorate That Shit
Well, before you do that, chill the cheesecake in the fridge for at least an hour. If you have a whole day to cool the cake, the better, else it’ll just crumble and fall apart and to me, a warm cheesecake isn’t ideal anyway.
I dish mine out simply with lots of whipped cream and some extra lime slices in case I’m feeling more tart than usual. And trust me, I’m quite tart on the daily. Guess that’s how I can shove whole lemon wedges in my mouth and suck on them without a second thought.
Yeah, I actually do that. FYI.
Key lime juice isn’t easy to find everywhere, so if you’re not able to locate it or the fresh fruit specifically, use regular lime. Or, mix equal parts lime and lemon juices. Both techniques will still yield a snappy little cheesecake.
I’m off this evening (Tuesday) to see Doctor Strange! Will report my opinion in next Monday’s Sidebar. Any of ya’ll see if yet? What did you think?
Tried this recipe out? Leave a comment below with your thoughts, and don’t forget to come say hi on Instagram and show me what you made!
no fuss vanilla key lime cheesecake
Ingredients
- 1 sheet puff pastry, thawed
- 16 oz cream cheese (2 blocks)
- 2/3 cup sugar
- 1 tbsp lime zest
- 3 eggs, at toom temperature
- 1/4 cup key lime juice (or regular)
- 1/2 cup plain whole milk Greek yogurt
- 1 tbsp vanilla extract
- 1/4 tsp salt
- whipped cream and lime wedges, to serve
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line a 9 x 9 inch cake pan with parchment and grease with butter.
- Roll out the puff pastry sheet to 1/4 inch thickness. Lay into the prepared pan, stretching the pastry up the sides. Chill in the refrigerator while you make the filling.
- Sift together the sugar with the lime zest. In a large bowl, beat together the cream cheese and lime sugar until very creamy, about 2-3 minutes. Whip in eggs one at a time until each is fully combined, then beat in the lime juice, yogurt, vanilla, and salt until smooth.
- Remove the crust from the fridge. Pour in the batter, spreading with a spatula as needed to reach the corners. Bake for 35-40 minutes until the center is no longer jiggly. Cracks and divots are okay! Let cool slightly, then transfer to the fridge and chill for at least 1 hour.
- When ready to serve, slice into portions and garnish with whipped cream and lime wedges, as desired.
