Margarita Cheesecake Bars Recipes

MARGARITA CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• Crust: Preheat oven to 375 degrees, with rack in center. In a food processor, pulse pretzels until fine crumbs form (you will have a little more than 1 cup). Add sugar and melted butter; process until combined. Press evenly in bottom and 1 inch up sides of a 9-inch springform pan. Bake until golden brown, about 9 minutes. Transfer to wire rack to cool completely.
• Filling: Reduce oven temperature to 325 degrees. Wrap exterior of springform pan with a double layer of foil. Set a kettle of water to a boil. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat cream cheese on medium-high speed until fluffy and smooth, about 3 minutes, scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Reduce speed to medium. Mix in sour cream, sugar, Grand Marnier, tequila, lime zest, and salt; beat until well incorporated. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each.
• Pour cream-cheese mixture over cooled crust (filling will come up higher than crust). Set springform pan in a roasting pan; carefully pour in enough boiling water to reach halfway up side of springform pan.
• Bake on center rack until cake is set and slightly firm to the touch, about 65 minutes. Transfer springform pan to a wire rack and remove foil; let cool completely. Refrigerate until chilled, at least 6 hours or up to overnight. Run a knife around edge of cake to loosen before unmolding. Garnish top of cheesecake with lime slices.

MARGARITA CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix cookie crumbs and butter in medium bowl until blended. Press mixture onto bottom and 1-inch up sides of 9 inch diameter springform pan with 2 3/4 inch high sides. Refrigerate while preparing filling.
• Using electric mixer, beat cream cheese in large bowl until fluffy. Add 1 cup sour cream, 1 cup sugar, Grand Marnier, tequila, lime juice and lime peel and beat until well blended. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating just until blended after each addition.
• Pour filling into crust. Bake until center is softly set, about 50 minutes. Maintain oven temperature. Mix remaining 1 cup sour cream, 1/4 cup sugar and 1 tablespoon lime juice in small bowl. Pour over cheesecake. Using spatula, smooth top. Bake cheesecake 5 minutes longer. Transfer pan to rack and cool completely. Refrigerate until well chilled, at least 4 hours or overnight. Run knife around pan sides to loosen cake. Remove pan sides. Garnish cake with lime slices.

MARGARITA CHEESECAKE BARS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Shortbread base: Cut butter into 1/2-inch pieces. In a food processor process all ingredients until mixture begins to form small lumps. Sprinkle mixture into a 13 x 9 x 2-inch baking pan and with a metal spatula press evenly onto bottom. Bake shortbread in middle of oven until golden, about 20 minutes. While shortbread is baking, prepare topping. Cheesecake topping: In a bowl whisk cream cheese until smooth. Whisk in sugar, cornstarch, lime juice, tequila, & triple sec. Whisk in eggs & zest. Evenly spread over hot shortbread and pour cream-cheese mixture over it. Bake in middle of oven until slightly puffed, about 30 minutes. Cool completely in pan and cut into 24 bars. Bar cookies keep, covered and chilled, 3 days.