This key lime cheesecake is a 5 star winner according to my husband. It is light and fluffy and not heavy at all. I used fresh squeezed key lime juice. You can get them in the produce section of the grocery store.

First take the cream cheese, eggs and butter out of the refrigerator 20 minutes before ready to start. Preheat your oven to 300 degrees F.

Crust:

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups of cinnamon graham cracker crumbs
• 6 tbsp. melted butter

Crush the cinnamon graham crackers into crumbs in a good processor. Melt the butter in the microwave. Then, mix together. Press into the bottom and partially up the sides of a 9-inch spring-form pan. Put it in the refrigerator until ready to use.

Filling

• 3 8-oz. packages cream cheese, softened
• 1 cup white sugar
• 1 tbsp. cornstarch
• 3 eggs
• 1 tbsp. grated lime zest (the peel)
• 1/2 cup freshly squeezed key lime juice (If you do not have fresh, you can use bottled.)

Beat with an electric mixer the cream cheese, sugar, lime zest and cornstarch until it is smooth and fluffy. Wisk each egg with a fork and add to mixture one at a time, blending each egg into the mixture just until it is smooth before adding the next. Add the key lime juice with the mixer on low speed. Finish mixing the filling by hand. It is important not to over beat the filling or the cake will crack during baking.

Take the crust out of the refrigerator and pour the batter into it. Bake cheesecake at 300 degrees F. for 55 to 65 minutes or until it is set. Turn off the oven and let the cheesecake stand in the oven for 30 minutes with the door partially open.

As soon as you take this key lime cheesecake out of the oven, take a knife around the edge of the pan to loosen the sides of the cheesecake from the pan. This is important so as it cools, the cheesecake will not crack. Put on a wire rack to cool. Then place in the refrigerator overnight.