Margarita Cheesecake Recipe

• Ingredients: 24
• Serves: 10

Margarita cheesecake with very thin lime slices, cut in half, very thin lime peel strips.

Ingredients

CRUST

• Nonstick vegetable oil spray
• 1 1/4 cups graham cracker crumbs
• 1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted

FILLING

• 3 8-ounce
• 1 1/4 cups light sour cream
• 3/4 cup plus 2 tbsps. sugar
• 2 1/2 tbsps. triple sec or other orange liqueur
• 2 1/2 tbsps. tequila
• 2 1/2 tbsps. fresh lime juice
• 4 large eggs

TOPPING

• Very thin lime slices, cut in half
• Very thin lime peel strips

For orange curd:

• 5 large egg yolks
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup fresh orange juice
• 1/2 stick unsalted butter, softened
• 1 1/2 tsps. fresh lemon juice

For buttercream:

• *available at specialty cookware shops

For final assembly and decoration

• Assorted nonpoisonous flowers

Berry compote

• 8 1-pint containers fresh strawberries, hulled, halved
• 2 1/2-pint containers fresh blackberries
• 2 1/2-pint containers fresh raspberries
• 2 1/2-pint containers fresh blueberries
• 1 cup sugar

Directions

FOR CRUST:

1. Step 1 Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 350°F. Spray 9-inch springform pan with 2 3/4-inch-high sides with vegetable oil spray.
   

   For this step you will need

   • Nonstick vegetable oil spray
2. Step 2 Mix graham cracker crumbs and butter in medium bowl until blended. Press crumbs over bottom and 1 inch up sides of prepared pan.
   

   For this step you will need

   • 1 1/4 cups graham cracker crumbs
   • 1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
   • 1/2 stick unsalted butter, softened

FOR FILLING:

1. Step 3 Using electric mixer, beat cheese in large bowl until fluffy. Beat in sour cream, then sugar, triple sec, tequila and lime juice.
   

   For this step you will need

   • 4 large eggs
   • 1 1/4 cups light sour cream
   • 1 cup sugar
   • 2 1/2 tbsps. triple sec or other orange liqueur
   • 2 1/2 tbsps. tequila
   • 2 1/2 tbsps. fresh lime juice
   • 1/2 cup fresh orange juice
   • 1 1/2 tsps. fresh lemon juice
2. Step 4 Pour filling into crust. Bake until outside 2 inches are set and center moves only slightly when pan is shaken, about 50 minutes.

FOR TOPPING:

1. Step 5 Whisk sour cream, lime juice and sugar in small bowl to blend. Spread evenly over cheesecake. Return cheesecake to hot oven.
   

   For this step you will need

   • 1 1/4 cups light sour cream
   • 1 cup sugar
   • 2 1/2 tbsps. fresh lime juice
   • 1/2 cup fresh orange juice
   • 1 1/2 tsps. fresh lemon juice
2. Step 6 Let stand 45 minutes or less (Cheesecake will look very soft, but will set up when chilled.) Refrigerate cake until well chilled, up to 1 day.
3. Step 7 Run knife around pan sides. Remove pan sides. Place cake on platter. Arrange lime half-slices and peel around top edge of cheesecake.
   

   For this step you will need

   • 2 1/2 tbsps. fresh lime juice
   • Very thin lime slices, cut in half
   • Very thin lime peel strips