Key Lime Icebox Cheesecake

The icebox cheesecake has been relegated to the dustbin of culinary history – summer is a great time to bring it back.

I like icebox cheesecake; I really like it. It is lighter than a typical cheesecake, perhaps with the exception of Japanese cheesecake, and I also like the cool temperature and tang, which ameliorates the fat content. I have not had a slice of icebox cheesecake in over 20 years and, like restoring an old Corvette hidden in a barn, I set out to make this one with great enthusiasm.

I started with a graham cracker crust and punched it up with ground ginger. You can use either an 8- or 9-inch springform pan, the former giving you a tad more height with the finished cheesecake. Sour cream was added along with the cream cheese, nothing new there.

The bigger issue was the gelatin. You want the cake to set, but you still want a creamy texture, avoiding an over-set texture like in a bad panna cotta. I used half a packet, but also folded in whipped cream; the gelatin is there to support the already airy texture, not to transform the ingredients into a rubber ball. I made one version with just a refrigerator rest, which came out super-creamy, although the tip of each slice was a tad droopy. An hour or so in the freezer is probably a good idea, so the cheesecake sets up properly, but after that initial cooling period you can leave it in the fridge.

I love this cake served with a glaze, and a tequila glaze was my favorite, although you can just use water. The glaze provides punch and color and also is thickened with gelatin.

Key limes can be hard to find, and they are a bit gnarly to juice, so we found an acceptable substitute available on Amazon: Nellie & Joe’s Key West Lime Juice. Key limes are also hard to zest, so regular limes are a better choice.

Now I had the perfect summer cheesecake—bright, fresh and tangy. Oh, and did I say cooling? That too!

Key Lime Icebox Cheesecake