Lime Cheesecake with mascarpone

This is one of two lime cheesecake recipes I’ve used.  This one has mascarpone, and it’s the recipe I favor when I want to make this delicious pie and have some mascarpone on hand.

Mascarpone is an Italian dessert-type cream cheese that is to die for. It’s somewhere between cream cheese and creme fraiche, and if you use it, you don’t need to use any sour cream.

• 1 1/2 T butter
• 3 cups cookie crumbs (or graham cracker crumbs – I use shortbread cookie crumbs)
• 2 1/4 c mascarpone
• Finely grated rind and juice of 2 (key)limes
• 1/2 c sugar
• 2 large eggs, separated

Grease the base of a large (about 10″) spring-form pan and line with parchment paper (or skip the paper if you don’t have any), just grease well.

1. Melt the butter in a pan (low heat) and stir in the crushed cookie crumbs.
2. Then line the pan with the crumbs, pressing up to about 1/4 inch or so up the sides.
3. Gently beat together the mascarpone, lime rind & juice, sugar and egg yolks till very smooth.
4. Whisk the egg whites until stiff and fold into the cheese mixture.
5. Then pour mixture over into the prepared pan and bake in a preheated oven (350F, 180C) for 35-45 minutes, or till just set.

It’ll crack — this is fine! If you like, you can “seal” those cracks lightly with a wee bit of mascarpone while the cheesecake is still hot. But cracks are no problem!

If you’re feeling fancy, you can make a curl from a bit of lime peel — or twist a thin slice of lime — and place on the top of each piece.

Some like whipped cream with their cheesecake.  I think it’s plenty rich just as it is.