Jim's Key Lime Cheesecake

Lime Custard

6 egg yolks

3/4 cup sugar

6 tablespoons Key lime juice

1 teaspoon grated Key lime peel

Crust

1 3/4 cups graham cracker crumbs  ( about 12 whole )

1/4 cup sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 stick  butter, melted

Filling

3- 8oz cream cheese, room temp

2/3 cup sugar

2 eggs

3 tablespoons Key lime juice

1 teaspoon grated lime peel

Topping

16 oz sour cream

4 tablespoons sugar

For Lime custard

Whisk all ingredients in saucepan until custard boils for 20 seconds. Remove from heat.

Let cool to room temp.

For crust

Preheat oven to 350,  Mix all dry ingr. in bowl, pour into springform pan, add melted butter.

Mix until well moistened. Press crumb mixture evenly and 1 inch up side of pan. Bake 7 minutes, cool

For filling

Mix all filling ingr. with mixer or food processor

Spoon custard into crust. Carefully spoon filling over custard.  Put seperate glass pan on lower rack with water for moisture.  Bake at 350 for 45 minutes.

Meanwhile, stir sour cream and sugar.

Carefully spoon sour cream  over hot cheesecake, return to oven for 10 minutes. Cool 10 minutes then run knife around edges of springform to loosen.  Cool completely, then cover and refrigerate. Can be made up to 2 days ahead. Garnish with thin lime slices.

Substitutions for Lime custard and zest could be Lemon, chocolate fudge /mini chocolate chips, blueberry etc.  The possibilities are endless.   As Julia would say" BON APPETITE "