Celebrate National Margarita Day: Treat Your Self to a Top-Shelf Margarita Cheesecake

Get ready to party, today is National Margarita Day! We could dish out the tried and true recipe for the standard margarita, but come on. Where’s the fun in that?

So put away those fancy glasses. Cancel your plans to hit the bar. I’ve got a fantastic recipe from Booze Cakes by Krystina Castella & Terry Lee Stone. Read on to learn how to make a Top-Shelf Margarita Cheesecake.

That’s right, you heard me. A margarita cheesecake.

Top-Shelf Margarita Cheesecake

If you ask a bartender for a “top-shelf Margarita,” he will give you a nod of respect and grab a bottle of excellent-quality tequila for a special cocktail made with triple sec and fresh lemon or lime juice. For our top-shelf cheesecake, we’ve replaced the traditional crushed pretzel or graham cracker crust with a savory cornmeal one worthy of this sweet, creamy, five-star dessert.

Ingredients:

Cornmeal Crust

1⁄2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
1⁄4 cup sugar
1⁄2 cup all-purpose flour
1⁄2 cup yellow cornmeal
1⁄4 teaspoon coarse salt

Margarita Cheesecake

3 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese
1 cup sugar
4 eggs
1⁄4 cup fresh lime juice
2 tablespoons tequila
2 tablespoons triple sec
Zest of half a lime

Margarita Whipped Cream

1 cup heavy cream
1⁄2 cup confectioners’ sugar
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
2 tablespoons high-quality tequila
2 tablespoons triple sec

Garnish

3 limes, sliced soaked in 1 cup simple syrup
Coarse salt, to taste

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease bottom and sides of a 9-inch springform pan.

2. In a mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar 3 to 5 minutes, or until light and fl uffy. Gradually add fl our, cornmeal, and salt and mix to combine. Press the mixture into the bottom of the pan and bake 15 to 20 minutes, or until golden brown. Let cool.

3. For the cheesecake: In a mixing bowl, combine cream cheese and sugar and beat 4 to 5 minutes, or until smooth. Beat in eggs one at a time. Stir in lime juice, tequila, tripe sec, and lime zest.

4. Spread mixture into the cooled crust and bake 45 to 50 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool 1 hour. Transfer to refrigerator and chill at least 6 hours or overnight.

5. For the whipped cream: In a mixing bowl, combine cream, confectioners’ sugar, lime juice, tequila, and triple sec; starting on low speed and gradually increasing to high, beat until soft peaks form

6. Let the cheesecake sit at room temperature for 30 minutes. Spread the Margarita cream on top. Drain the lime slices from the simple syrup. Sprinkle a pinch of coarse salt around the edge of the crust and top the cheesecake with limes.