FOR CRUST:
Heat oven to 400 degrees. Grease bottom and side of 10 x 3-inch springform pan with shortening. Beat sugar and butter in medium bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until smooth. Beat in remaining ingredients on low speed just until crumbly. Press evenly in bottom of pan. Bake 13-16 minutes or until light, golden brown; cool.
FOR CURD:
Mix sugar, lime peel and key lime juice in heavy 1-1/2-quart saucepan with wire whisk.
Stir in butter and eggs. Cook over medium heat about 8 minutes, stirring constantly, until mixture thickens and coats back of spoon (Do not boil).
FOR CHEESECAKE:
Prepare Key Lime Curd and Crust. (Recipes below)
Heat oven to 425 degrees.
Beat cream cheese and sugars in a large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until smooth. Beat in eggs, one at a time, on low speed just until well blended. Beat in lime peel, lime juice and cornstarch. Fold in sour cream until blended. Pour over baked crust.
Bake 47-52 minutes or until center is set and top is golden. Cool in pan on wire rack 15 minutes. Run metal spatula along side of cheesecake to loosen. Refrigerate uncovered about 3 hours or until chilled. Cover and continue refrigerating for at least 9 hours, but no longer than 48 hours.
Run metal spatula along side of cheesecake to loosen. Remove side of pan. Spread Key Lime Curd over top of cheesecake. Refrigerate any remaining dessert.
Immediately pour into 1-pint container. Cover and store in refrigerator up to 2 months.
Note: If desired, you may add a couple of drops of green food coloring to the key lime curd to make it look “limey.” To make the curd smoother, strain it through a sieve. If you are using a pan with a removable side for the cheesecake, make sure to wrap the bottom seam with aluminum foil around the outside. Otherwise, your cheesecake will leak out of the pan.
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