Key Lime Cheesecake Squares

Total Time: 1 hr 10 mins Preparation Time: 20 mins Cook Time: 50 mins

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup crushed graham wafers or 1/2 cup crushed graham wafer crumbs
• 1/2 cup crushed vanilla wafers or 1/2 cup crushed vanilla wafer crumbs
• 1/4 cup ground blanched almond
• 1/4 cup butter
• 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1 large egg
• 2 teaspoons grated lime zest
• 1/2 cup key lime juice, freshly squeezed
• 1 tablespoon tapioca starch or 1 tablespoon cornstarch

Recipe

• 1 crust---------.
• 2 preheat oven to 350 f degrees.
• 3 in a mixing bowl, combine graham wafer crumbs, vanilla wafer crumbs and ground almonds.
• 4 cut in butter using a pastry blender or a fork until mixture is crumbly.
• 5 prepare a 9 inch x 9 inch oven-proof casserole dish by spraying inside with a vegetable spray.
• 6 press wafer mixture firmly in bottom of casserole dish.
• 7 bake in preheated 350 f oven for 15 minutes.
• 8 filling----------.
• 9 in a mixing bowl using an electric mixer, beat softened cream cheese, sugar and egg until smooth.
• 10 add lime juice, grated lime zest and tapioca starch and beat until smooth and creamy.
• 11 spread mixture evenly over baked crust.
• 12 return to oven and bake at 350 f for 25 to 30 minutes or until set.
• 13 cool on wire rack.
• 14 chill in refrigerator for at least 1 hour before cutting into squares to serve.
• 15 if desired, decorate top of cheesecake with pieces of lime or halved small fresh strawberries or quartered maraschino cherries (red and green).
• 16 you can also use regular lime juice or use bottled key lime juice.