Recipe: Key Lime Cheesecake Parfaits with Lime-Rum Sauce

KEY LIME CHEESECAKE PARFAITS

12 oz (1 1/2 packages, 8 oz each) cream cheese
1/3 cup plus 2 tbsp sugar
1 egg
juice of 2 limes
1 tbsp freshly grated lime zest
FOR THE LIME RUM SAUCE:
2 tbsp dark rum
1 tbsp fresh mint leaves, julienned
1/4 cup key lime sections, roughly chopped
1/4 cup sugar
FOR GARNISH:
1/2 cup heavy (whipping cream), whipped with small amount of sugar to sweeten
5 graham crackers, snapped in half, lightly brushed with melted butter and sprinkled with sugar
1/4 cup shredded sweetened coconut, toasted

Beat cream cheese, 1/3 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar, egg, lime juice and zest until creamy and well-blended. Transfer to heat-proof bowl and place over pot of simmering water, whisking mixture until it becomes creamy and thickened. Taste; if too tart whisk in more sugar until it's dissolved. Remove from heat, cover loosely with plastic wrap and let cool.

TO MAKE THE SAUCE:
Heat dark rum over medium heat and reduce by half. Remove from heat, allow rum to cool.

Add lime sections and sugar, stirring until sugar is well dissolved. Taste. If too tart, add more sugar. Just before serving, fold in julienned mint.

TO ASSEMBLE PARFAITS:
Whisk lime-cream cheese mixture until creamy and spoon into parfait, wine or martini glasses. Top with whipped cream, drizzle with rum-lime sauce, sprinkle with coconut and garnish with sugared graham crackers.

Source: The New American Steakhouse Cookbook by David Walzog