Wednesday, May 15, 2013

Strawberry Lime Margarita Cheesecake


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This is my entry in the Spiked Recipe Challenge for Tequila.  When I think of Tequila, I think of Margaritas.  I put my thinking cap on and tried to image the taste of margarita cupcakes.  Oh that sounded good but then I got to thinking of my all time favorite dessert...........Cheesecake.  Oh the thought of strawberries and cream cheese sounded really good and then add in the taste of lime margarita that sounded even better.  So that is how this recipe began.

There are a lot of amazing looking dishes made with Tequila, so head on over to This Gal Cooks and Frugal Foodie Mama to check them out!




I also put my "Monica" Strawberry flower on top of the cheesecakes.  I named it the "Monica" flower after my blogger friend Monica at Lick the Bowl Good.  Thanks Monica for sharing your talent and giving me the idea of putting the strawberry flower on top of my cheesecake.

I used 6  4 inch springform pans for my cheesecakes but you can also use a 10 inch springform pan.  The flower was hard to put on the little cheesecake.  To get it on I broke up toothpicks and put them through the strawberries to hold them in place on the cake.  If making the 10 inch cheesecake I don't think it would be any problem getting the strawberry flower to stay on top.

Strawberry Lime Margarita Cheesecake

Crust:
1 1/2 C butter cookie crumbs
1/4 C melted butter
1/4 C sugar
filling:
1/4 C whipping cream
3 (8oz) Cream Cheese
1 C Sugar
3 eggs
1 Tbsp vanilla
1/2 C Tequila
1/2 C Strawberry Margarita mix
zest of 1 lime
1/4 C flour
Flower Top:
1 lb strawberries

Crust:
Mix crust ingredients and put in bottom of 10 inch springform pan.  Bake at 350 degrees for 10 min.  (if using 4 inch springform pan put in 6 pans and bake at 350 degrees for 8 min)

Filling:
Mix together the cream cheese and sugar until creamy.  Add the eggs and mix until well combined.  Then add the vanilla, vanilla seeds, lime zest and whipping cream until well mixed together. Add tequila and mix until well combined.  Add the flour and mix until smooth.  Reserve 1/2 of the batter and mix the strawberry margarita mix into this reserved portion.  Pour the remaining batter into the springform pan on top of the baked crust.  Then take the strawberry margarita mixture and pour over the first layer of batter.  Take a knife and swirl the batter to mix the 2 together. (if using the 4 inch springform pan divide all batters between the 6 pans)

Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour.  Turn off oven and open the door, let cake remain in the oven for 20 minutes. (for the 4 inch springform pan bake at 300 degrees for 35 minutes)