HABANERO LIME CHEESECAKE

Recipe courtesy Helen Cook

Show: Food Network SpecialsEpisode: Eat the Heat

Rated: 4 stars out of 5Rate itRead users' reviews (11)

RECIPE
COMMENTS & REVIEWS(11)

Cook Time:
1 hr 0 min
Level:
Intermediate
Yield:
about 16 servings, depending o

Times:

Prep: 30 min
Inactive Prep: 3 min
Cook: 1 hr 0 min
Total:: 1 hr 33 min

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Ingredients

Crust:

1 1/2 cups wheat-meal biscuits (or about 26 graham cracker squares) ground to crumbs
Pinch salt
1/3 cup melted butter

Filling:

3 habanero peppers
2 tablespoons sugar, plus 1 cup
24 ounces cream cheese
Pinch of salt
4 eggs
2 tablespoons heavy cream
1 lime, zested
1 very juicy or 2 less juicy limes, juiced
1 lime sliced thinly, for garnish
1whole habenero, for garnish

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Position top rack in the center of the oven. Place a baking pan on the rack below this. Boil water.

Make crust: Mix the crumbs and salt together in a small bowl, then add butter and stir to mix. Set aside 1/4cup for topping. Press the rest into the bottom and sides of a 9-inch springform pan.

Turn on kitchen or stove exhaust fan. Skewer and roast the habaneros over an open flame (gas burner is fine) and set them to steam under a towel. When they are cool enough to handle, put on plastic gloves if desired. Peel and deseed habaneros, then pound in a mortar with the 2 tablespoons of sugar until a coarse paste results.

Cream the cream cheese, then add remaining sugar and salt. Beat in the eggs 1 at a time until incorporated. Add the cream and blend. Beat the zest and lime juice into this mixture. Add the habanero paste last and beat until well mixed. Pour into the crust, then gently tap the pan to level the filling. Sprinkle the reserved crumbs on top.

Pour boiling water into the pan on the oven?s lower rack. Place the cheesecake on the rack above it. Bake for approximately 1 hour or until the cheesecake pulls away from the edge of the pan. Remove from the oven and allow to set for 20 minutes. Wrap and keep in the refrigerator overnight, or if rushed, place in the freezer for 2 to 3 hours.

Garnish, if desired, with slices of lime and place a whole habanero in the center.

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Comments & Reviews

recipe HABANERO LIME CHEESECAKE
louise kirkwood, MO 05-16-2008
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my husband loved this
Rated: 5 stars out of 5

I made for this for my husband as his birthday cake. Everyone that was brave enough to try this loved it. I have a brand new... oven so the cook time was a little to long as my cheesecake had cracks. I didn't feel like using a mortar & pestle like the recipe states as it was about midnight when I made this. I just used a knife and chopped the peppers with sugar until i had a paste.Read more
recipe HABANERO LIME CHEESECAKE
Anonymous 11-21-2007
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Words of Advice...
Rated: 4 stars out of 5

I have made this cheesecake numerous times all with different results. Sometimes 3 peppers is too many, sometimes it is not... enough. I have found that if the fumes of the roasted peppers make you cough and give you trouble breathing, three peppers is going to be too much and I cut it down to two peppers. It is a very good cheesecake - the lime flavor comes first and then the sensation of heat at the end. I have had many requests for the recipe. Give it a try!Read more
recipe HABANERO LIME CHEESECAKE
Joseph West Valley, UT 11-17-2007
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Great Flavor & Heat!
Rated: 5 stars out of 5

This cheesecake had a great lime flavor and a nice warm heat. Roasting the habaneros was a little difficult, but maybe I just... need more practice.Read more
recipe HABANERO LIME CHEESECAKE
Anonymous 08-13-2007
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If you love HOT, you'll love this recipe
Rated: 4 stars out of 5

I fixed this for my husband's birthday and he LOVED it. But fair warning...the recipe says "wear gloves if desired." I did... not and my hands burned for hours afterwards. It was really painful and I could not find anything to make the burn go away. Just be careful and you'll have a wonderful cheesecake!Read more
recipe HABANERO LIME CHEESECAKE
Karrie Kennewick, WA 06-26-2007
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Hot and Sour cheesecake
Rated: 4 stars out of 5

I made this cheesecake for some guys at work that LOVE hot foods! They loved this desert, and even those with more sensitive... palate's had to try it. Very fun for a group of people.Read more
recipe HABANERO LIME CHEESECAKE
Gina Ann Arbor, FL 04-01-2007
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Impress your friends!
Rated: 4 stars out of 5

This recipe is great - definitely a stunner at any social event. Your guests will talk about it all night! I would recommend... reducing the baking time to at least 50 minutes - mine was a little too done and I only had it in there for 50 minutes.Read more