Margarita Lime cheesecake

Margarita Lime cheesecake

CRUST 

Nonstick vegetable oil spray

1 1/4 cups cookie or Graham Cracker crumbs (we use Trader Joe's Kitty Cat Cookies)

1/4 cup sugar

1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted

FILLING 

3 8-ounce "bricks" reduced-fat cream cheese, room temp

1 1/4 cups light sour cream

3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar

3 1/2 tablespoons Grand Marnier

3 1/2 tablespoons tequila

3 1/2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

3 large eggs

TOPPING 

3/4 cup light sour cream

2 tablespoon fresh lime juice

2 tsp grated lime peel

1 tablespoon sugar

Very thin lime slices, cut in half

Very thin lime peel strips

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. Mix graham cracker or cookie crumbs, sugar and butter in medium bowl until blended. Press crumbs over bottom and 1 inch up sides of prepared pan. Refrigerate crust.

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

Pour filling into crust. Bake until outside 2 inches are set and center moves only slightly when pan is shaken, about 50 minutes. Remove from oven; turn off oven.

FOR TOPPING:

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

Run knife around pan sides. Remove pan sides. Place cake on platter. Arrange lime half-slices and peel around top edge of cheesecake