Strawberry and Lime Mini Cheesecakes

Strawberry and Lime Mini Cheesecakes

Ingredients:

2 pkg. (8 oz. each) Cream Cheese, softened
1 pkg. mascarpone cheese
1/2 cup caster/white sugar
1 tsp. grated lemon zest (2 limes)
juice of 2 limes
1 cup sliced and hulled strawberries
1-2 tablespoons of caster/white sugar

for the base:
12 biscuits (makes roughly 1½ cups crumbs)2 tablespoons melted butter
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon (optional)

6 glass ramekin dishes.

Crush the biscuits and add the melted butter and cinnamon (optional). Mix well and press firmly into the ramekin dishes (alternatively for a larger cheesecake us an 8-inch pie pan). Pat down using the back of a tablespoon. Place in fridge for 30mins to set.

While base is setting. Mix together cream cheese, mascarpone, lime zest, lime juice (I normally put the lime juice in to taste roughly about 2 limes worth but if you would prefer a zestier cheesecake add 1 more) sugar, using a wooden spoon or electric mixer. Pour the cheese mixture over the base and spread evenly. Put cheesecakes in the fridge for at least 1 hour to set, (if making a large cheesecake it will need at least 4 hours to set, preferably overnight).

While the cheesecakes are setting, slice the strawberries and sprinkle with a generous amount of sugar (1 to 2 tablespoons). Just before serving spoon the sliced strawberries and juice over the mini cheesecakes.

cooks notes: I originally made these mini cheesecakes for Cinco de Mayo (the 5th of May a Mexican holiday) I served them after we had nachos, burritos, and refried beans. The cinnamon in the base blends well with the sweet strawberries and the lime cheesecake. M was very impressed, he ate 4 of the 6 ramekins I had made,. H was initially sceptical about it being lime but after eating all the strawberries off the top of his cheesecake he proclaimed that the cheesecake bit was actually "quite nice" .