Lime Swirl Cheesecake Bars

I found this recipe and it was so pretty looking I had to make it, and heaven knows I am a sucker for cheesecake. The lime is creamy and tangy and the cheesecake is rich and sweet. It is a perfect combination.

Lime Swirl Cheesecake Bars

Recipe Source: SprinkleBakes.com

Crust
2 cups (about 16) Graham Crackers
1/2 cup Unsalted Butter, melted

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line a 7x11 or 9x9 pan with parchment paper enough to hang over the edges. Mix the butter and graham crackers together and press into the bottom of the pan. Bake for 5 minutes and let cool completely.

Filling
2 - 8oz pkgs Cream Cheese, softened
1/2 cup Granulated Sugar
2 large Eggs plus one large Egg White
1/2 cup Sour Cream
1 teaspoon Pure Vanilla Extract
2 Tablespoons All-Purpose Flour
3/4 cup prepared Lime Curd, (recipe below)
Liquid Green Food Coloring
Liquid Yellow Food Coloring

1. Tint the chilled lime curd with the liquid food coloring until lime green. You use about three drops of both green and yellow food coloring. Set aside.

2. Beat cream cheese and sugar in a large bowl on medium high speed until smooth. Beat in eggs one at a time on low speed. Beat in sour cream and vanilla, then flour just until blended. Remove 1 cup of batter and reserve. Pour the rest of the batter over the crust.

3. Mix 1/2 cup of lime curd with the 1 cup of reserved batter. Place spoonfuls of this mixture on top of the plain cheesecake batter. Dollop the remaining 1/4 cup of lime curd on top the previous mixture. Use a toothpick to swirl the mixtures together so it looks marbleized.

4. Bake for about 50 minutes at 325 degrees or until center doesn't jiggle. Let cool completely in pan then refrigerate. Lift cheesecake out of the pan with parchment overhang. Cut into bars before serving.

Lime Curd
4 Tablespoons Unsalted Butter, room temp
1/2 cup Granulated Sugar
1 large Eggs
1 large Egg Yolk
4 1/2 Tablespoons Fresh Lime Juice

1. Beat butter and sugar in a large bowl on medium. Slowly add the egg and egg yolk one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Pour in lime juice and mix again. The mixture will look curdled.

2. Cook the mixture over medium heat in a medium-size saucepan until it no longer looks curdled. Increase the heat a small amount and cook, whisking constantly, until the mixture thickens. Cook until the mixture reaches 170 degrees.

3. Remove the curd from the heat. Transfer the curd to a bowl and press plastic wrap on the surface of the lime curd to keep a skin from forming. Chill in the refrigerator.