Lemon & Lime Baked Cheesecake

I don't know about you but I absolutley adore Cheesecake and I have recently discovered the delicious, mouth watering, Goddess of flavour, the baked type of Cheesecake. I say I discovered it but truth be told it was my Mum who started making us these amazing Raspberry baked cheesecakes some time last year.

Recently my folks went away for a few days around Bordeaux in their motor-home so I decided a recipe raid was in order and, having broken into their house, went on a rampage through the kitchen seeking that oh so special recipe... it would be mine... oh yes, it would be mine.

Alas, I couldn't find the recipe anywhere so having hired a team of builders to repair the damage to my folks house I set about Googling for baked cheesecakes.

After a few disasters I set about creating my own hybrid recipe and this is what I'd like to share with you now - when my folks return from their holiday I'll ask Mum to post her recipe on here too but for now....

You'll need the following:

A round baking tin thing (22cm), you know the ones with the pop out bottom - greased. (I had to wash mine and start again after my wife informed me butter would be better than the car axle grease I was using)
An electric whisk - A hand whisk will suffice but please read on....
Plastic or wooden spoon
Couple of glass or plastic bowls
A tall, straight drinking glass (slim Jim) for forming the sides of the biscuit base
A knife or two and an egg whisk
A glass of red wine or your preferred beverage (optional)

Ingredients:

250g plain sweet biscuit (crumbed)
125g butter, melted
3 eggs, lightly beaten
½ cup castor sugar - regular sugar blended in a mini food processor works ok too
3 x 250g packets plain cream cheese, softened.
3 teaspoons grated lemon rind - use a canelle knife if you have one
¼ cup lime juice

Method:

1. Lightly grease your 22cm pop out bottom baking tin with some butter - if you want a deeper cheesecake, use a smaller diameter tin though you may have to increase the cooking time to allow for the extra depth, possibly in a slightly cooler oven.

1b. Take a sip of the wine or your chosen beverage.

2. Mix the biscuit crumbs and melted butter together in a bowl using a plastic or wooden spoon. You'll be able to tell when the mixture is combined enough as it will begin to stick together when pressed with the back of the spoon.

3. Add the crumb mix to the baking tin and use the tall drinking glass to press the crumb mixture evenly over the base and up the side of the tin.

4. Refrigerate the biscuit crust for around an hour.

4b. Take a seat and have a read or watch the TV with your wine or chosen beverage. After 45 minutes (15 minutes before your biscuit base is chilled) put your oven on set to around 160-170C and continue to stage 5.

5. Crack the eggs into a bowl and beat them together with the sugar with an electric mixer until pale and thick. Hand whisks are OK but this process can take up to 10 minutes...

6. Add the cream cheese, grated lemon rind and lime juice and then continue to whisk the mixture until it is smooth and creamy.

7. Pour the mixture into your chilled and crumb base filled baking tin and bake in the oven for about 45 minutes. Note: You should remove the baking tin/crumb base from the fridge prior to pouring in the mixture and placing in the oven :O)

8. After cooking, allow your cheesecake to cool in oven with door ajar, then refrigerate for several hours or overnight.... overnight? yeah right! I lasted 4 hours.