White Chocolate and Lime Mousse Cake

This is so good and light . . . a refreshing cloud in your mouth.  My birthday cake this year.

CRUST

• 2 cups ground gingersnap cookies (about 38 cookies)
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

Combine cookie crumbs and sugar in food processor.  Add butter, and pulse until moist clumps form.  Press mixture into bottom and 1 inch up sides of a 10-inch springform pan.

FILLING

• 1/2 cup lime juice (about 4 limes)
• 1 (1/4-oz.) envelope unflavored gelatin
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 9 oz. white chocolate, chopped
• 1 (8-oz.) pkg. cream cheese, softened
• 2 (8-oz.) pkgs. reduced-fat cream cheese, softened
• 1 cup sugar
• 3 tablespoons lime zest
• 2 cups heavy cream, chilled and whipped

Place lime juice in a glass bowl.  Sprinkle gelatin over top to soften.  Bring 1/2 cup cream to a simmer in a heavy medium-size saucepan.  Remove from heat, and add white chocolate.  Stir until melted and smooth.  Stir in gelatin mixture.  Cool slightly.

In a large bowl, beat all 3 cream cheeses, sugar, and lime zest with an electric mixer until blended.  Slowly beat in white chocolate mixture.  Fold in whipped cream.  Pour filling over crust in pan.  Cover, and refrigerate overnight or up to 2 days.  Release sides of pan from cake. Transfer to a cake platter, and serve.  Yields 12 – 14 servings.

“The One who saved us is the One who keeps us.”

 

 

 

Chocolate Vanilla Swirl Cheesecake

My friend, Sandy, made this for bridge the other day and all I can say is “Yum”!!

• 20 chocolate sandwich cookies, crushed (about 2 cups)
• 3 tablespoons butter, melted
• 4 pkg. (8-oz. each) cream cheese, softened
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 cup sour cream
• 4 eggs
• 6 squares semi-sweet baking chocolate, melted & cooled

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.  Line a 9 x 13 baking pan with foil, with ends of foil extending over sides of pan.  Mix cookie crumbs and butter; press firmly onto bottom of prepared pan.  Bake 10 minutes.

Beat cream cheese, sugar and vanilla in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until well blended.  Add sour cream; mix well.  Add eggs, one at a time, beating on low speed after each addition just until blended.  Remove 1 cup of the batter; set aside.  Stir melted chocolate into remaining batter in large bowl; pour over crust.  Top with spoonfuls of the remaining 1 cup plain batter; cut through batters with knife several times for swirling effect.

Bake 40 minutes or until center is almost set.   Cool.  Refrigerate at least 4 hours or overnight.  Use foil handles to lift cheesecake from the pan before cutting to serve.  Store any leftover cheesecake in refrigerator.

Makes 16 servings.

“There’s joy in the journey as we walk alongside each other.”