Vanilla And Kaffir Lime Cheesecake

Kaffir lime is from the citrus family and is native to Indonesia, Thailand and Malaysia. Kaffir lime is one of the key ingredients in many South East Asian cuisines.  The fruit is small, green and differs from normal limes with a very bumpy surface. The leaves are a deep green colour, quite firm to touch, with a distinct lime smell.  Kaffir lime fruit has a really intense flavour and can be juiced and zested into a multitude of meals, including curries, fish cakes and stir fries.

Cooking with kaffir lime is very simple and a few leaves can simply be added to your next curry, as it will give an Asian feel and flavour. You can even add a wedge of kaffir lime in your cold beer to make it more tasty and refreshing.

Try kaffir lime in this delicious baked vanilla and lime cheesecake:

Base Ingredients

• 250g/1 packet short crust biscuits
• 75g butter

Blend butter and biscuits together until it’s the consistency of wet sand, then grease a cake tin. Cover the base of cake tin with biscuit mixture and push down well.

Filling Ingredients

• 750g cream cheese
• 1 vanilla bean or 2 teaspoons vanilla essence
• 150g sugar
• 2 eggs
• 100ml cream
• 2 limes, juiced and zested

Pre-heat oven to 180 degrees.

In a blender, add cream cheese, sugar, seeds from the vanilla bean and eggs, mix until smooth.

Remove from the blender to a bowl and mix in the cream, then add lime juice.

When mixed, pour over biscuit base and bake in the oven for 30-40mins or until golden on top.

Let cool and serve or refrigerate.  Best served at room temperature with cream and fruit.