Pistachio-lime cheesecake with pistachio brittle

I've seen some shelled pistachios in the darkest corner of the freezer and I thought pistachio ice cream sounds wonderful . No double cream lurking inside the fridge but cream cheese is always there when I need it heh ! So why not make  a batch of unhealthy dessert instead ?! I've been meaning to make cheesecake since last month but never get around to it . Er , just disregard the Japanese cheesecake lol 

Too many goodies to bake , so little time . 

Initially , I was planning to make a simple candied pistachio , just like the one I had last time with my lemon pistachio cake , for the topping .  Thinking of that pistachio lemon cake and thought why not add some ground pistachio in the filling  ? Really glad that I did ! Of course , a bit more ground pistachio , say , about 100 grams , heck , make it 150 , will make this cheesecake exceptional . 

Exceptional ?! Exag  ^____^

This cheesecake is so easy to make . No need to use a water bath and it takes only 25 minutes to bake . The pistachio brittle can be made the day before .

The hardest thing about making this is to wait for several hours before you can stuff yourself silly .

Please check original recipe @ Taste.com

Makes one 5 1/2-inch x 1-inch cheesecake and six ( about ) 2 x 1-inch minis

For the crust :

130 grams ( light ) digestive biscuits

40 grams butter , softened 
1 tablespoon raw sugar 

For the filling : 

375 grams cream cheese , at room temperature 
125 grams sour cream , at room temperature
100 grams caster sugar
2 eggs , at room temperature
80 grams ( roasted and salted ) pistachio , finely ground 
generous teaspoon lime zest 
2 tablespoons lime juice

* Lightly butter a 6-inch square loose-bottom pan and six 2 x 1 1/3-inch loose-bottom mini tins , set aside . Or use a 7 or 8-inch springform / loose-bottom pan or an 8-inch square loose-bottom pan and adjust the baking time . 

* In a ( mini ) food processor , combine the biscuits , butter and sugar ; process until finely crushed . Spoon crust into the prepared tins , one generous tablespoon in each mini tin and the rest to the 6-inch pan . For the mini tins , use one end of a small straight-sided rolling pin or a teaspoon ( cutlery) to press the mixture firmly onto the base of the pan . Put in the freezer or fridge to chill for 30 minutes . 

* Preheat oven to 160°C . 

*  In a large mixing bowl , combine the cream cheese and sour cream and beat , over medium speed , until smooth . Add  in the sugar and beat until well combined , add in the ground pistachio , mix well . On low speed , add the eggs , one at a time , scraping sides after each additions . Do not overmix . Add in the lime zest and juice , beat for few seconds . Transfer batter to the prepared pan and tins . 

* Bake for 25 minutes . Turn oven off and leave the oven door slightly ajar , let cheesecakes cool in the oven for 2 to 3 hours then place in the fridge to cool completely before serving .   

* For the pistachio brittle recipe , please check here . I used 1/3 cup of pistachio instead of 1/4 cup .