Lemon Meringue Cheesecake

If you're a dessert lover who can't resist the tangy sweetness of lemon, then you're in for a treat with this Lemon Meringue Cheesecake recipe. This dessert is the perfect blend of creamy cheesecake, tart lemon curd, and a fluffy meringue topping that will have your taste buds dancing with delight. The combination of flavors and textures in this recipe is sure to leave a lasting impression on anyone who tries it.

In this blog post, I'll guide you through the process of making this delectable Lemon Meringue Cheesecake from scratch. From preparing the crust to making the lemon curd and meringue topping, I'll provide you with step-by-step instructions and helpful tips to ensure your cheesecake turns out perfectly. Whether you're looking for a show-stopping dessert for a special occasion or simply want to treat yourself to something sweet, this Lemon Meringue Cheesecake is the perfect choice!

For more cheesecake recipes, try Caramel Pecan Cheesecake, Daim Cheesecake and Biscoff Cheesecake.

WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS

• Incredibly delicious: The Lemon Meringue Cheesecake recipe combines several complementary flavors and textures to create a unique and delicious dessert.
• Cheesecake: The cheesecake layer provides a creamy and rich base that is perfectly balanced by the tangy and tart lemon curd layer.
• Lemon Curd: The lemon curd is made with fresh lemon juice, which gives it a bright, citrusy flavor that pairs perfectly with the sweet meringue and cheesecake layer.
• Meringue: To top it all off, the fluffy meringue adds a light and airy texture that balances out the tanginess of the curd and richness of the cheesecake layer.

INGREDIENT NOTES

These are some of the key ingredients for this recipe. For a full list of ingredients, check out the recipe card below.

• Digestives cookies: We don't have graham crackers in Danmark, so I therefore use Digestive cookies. But if you can buy graham crackers then you can definitely use those instead if you want to make a graham cracker crust.
• Cream cheese: It's important that it's full-fat cream cheese and it's at room- temperature when using it. Take the cream cheese out of the fridge 1-2 hours before baking.
• Sour cream: Measure and let the sour cream come to room temperature 1 hours before baking.
• Eggs: Take the eggs out of the fridge 1 hours before baking.
• Egg whites: Egg whites is used to make the meringue
• Lemon juice: Lemon juice is used both in the cheesecake and in the lemon curd

STEP BY STEP INSTRUCTIONS - CRUST

Here is how to make and bake these Lemon Meringue Cheesecake. This recipe needs a blender and stand mixer or electric hand mixer.

The full recipe is down below in the recipe card.

Before starting preheat the oven to 160ºC/ 325ºF conventional oven. Prepare a 22 cm springform pan lined with parchment paper in the bottom.

STEP 1: In a food processor, blend the digestive cookies and granulated sugar together until a fine sand-like texture. Melt the butter. Add the melted butter to the food processor and blend it together with the blended cookies.

STEP 2: In a 22 cm spring cake pan add parchment paper to the bottom. Add the cookie crumbs and press the cookie crust down with the bottom of a glass, and up against the side of the pan, so it’s well packed together and flattened out. Bake it for 10 minutes. Then let it cool down so that it’s cool to touch. 

STEP BY STEP INSTRUCTIONS - CHEESECAKE

STEP 1: In a bowl of a stand mixer, using the paddle attachment, or using a hand mixer cream the cream cheese for 1 minute on low speed.  Then gradually add the granulated sugar. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and let it mix for 1 minute on low speed.

STEP 2: In a small bowl, mix together the sour cream and cornstarch until smooth. Add it to the cream cheese together with the lemon juice and vanilla bean paste. Mix until combined. Then add one egg at a time and let it mix on low speed until combined.

STEP 4: Pour the cheesecake batter into the spring pan. Bake it for 1 hour and 10 minutes in a water bath (see details in recipe below).

STEP 5: After it's baked, let it cool down for 1 hour in the oven with the door popped open. Once at room temperature, place it in the fridge, covered with plastic wrap. Let it set for at least 6 hours, preferable overnight.

STEP BY STEP INSTRUCTIONS - LEMON CURD AND MERINGUE

STEP 1: While the cheesecake bakes make the lemon curd. In a small pot add lemon juice, sugar, egg, and egg yolk. With a whisk, constantly whisk the curd, while heating it up on a medium heat until it starts to thicken and slight bubbles.

STEP 2: Take it off the heat, and pour it through a sieve over a bowl. Let it sit for 2 minutes to slightly cool down. Then add the cold cubed butter and stir it in while it melts into the curd. Cover the curd with a piece of plastic wrap, so it touches the surface of the curd, and place it in the fridge. Let it cool down until it’s needed.

STEP 3: Once ready to assemble the cheesecake, make the meringue. In a mixing bowl of your stand mixer, add the egg whites and sugar. Place the bowl over a saucepan of simmering water, making sure the water does not touch the bowl. With the whisk attachment to your mixer, use it to constantly stir around the mixture until the sugar granules have melted together with the egg whites.

STEP 4: Take it off the heat and place it in your stand mixer, and immediately set it at the highest speed. Let it mix for 5-6 minutes until the bowl feels room temperature and the meringue creates stiff peaks. Then add the vanilla and whisk it in.

EXPERT BAKING TIPS

• Use a kitchen scale: My default setting for my recipes is grams. It is the most precise way of measuring out your ingredients, I therefore highly recommend using a kitchen scale.
• Don't over mix your batter: I always use a spatula after everything has mixed together, to give it one final gentle fold together. This makes sure everything in the bottom of the mixing bowl has been mixed into the batter.
• Light vs. dark baking pans: For the best result, use an aluminum baking pan, greased with butter and lined with baking paper in the bottom. Aluminum pans are light in color and therefore attract less heat. That means it bakes more gently which results in a softer cake. If you use a black baking pan it'll attract a lot more heat. That will then give a darker crust, which can result in a dryer cake.

FAQ

WHY BAKE THE CHEESECAKE IN A WATER BATH

Why is baking a cheesecake in a water bath so important? What the water bath does, is that it makes the cheesecake bake more gentle. When baking a cheesecake without a water bath, it is more likely for it to over-bake, which will give a curdled texture, a cracked and lopsided top. The hot water protects your cheesecake while it's baking in the oven. It makes sure your cheesecake comes out smooth and cream

STORAGE

Store the Lemon Meringue Cheesecake in the fridge in an airtight container. If the meringue has been added to the cheesecake it is best enjoyed within 3 days.

Other Cheesecake Recipes To Try

Make sure leave a STAR REVIEW if you loved this recipe! Make sure to tag me on Instagram @juliemarieeats. To get more ideas by following me on Pinterest.

Lemon Meringue Cheesecake

This dessert is the perfect blend of creamy cheesecake, tart lemon curd, and a fluffy meringue topping that will have your taste buds dancing with delight.

5 fra 8 stemmer

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 1 hour hr

Cook Time 1 hour hr 10 minutes mins

Resting time 6 hours hrs

Total Time 8 hours hrs 10 minutes mins

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Servings 12 slices

Calories 580 kcal

Equipment

• 22 cm/ 9 in spring pan

Ingredients

 

MetricUS Customary

 

1x2x3x

COOKIE CRUST

• 250 g digestive cookies
• 1,5 tablespoon granulated sugar
• 90 g butter melted

CHEESECAKE

• 600 g cream cheese full fat, room temperature
• 200 g granulated sugar
• 80 g sour cream 18%, room temperature
• 2 tablespoon cornstarch
• 70 g lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
• 3 large eggs room temperature

LEMON CURD

• 80 g lemon juice
• 100 g granulated sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 egg yolks save the egg white for the meringue
• 50 g butter cold

MERINGUE

• 90 g egg whites about 3 egg whites
• 180 g granulated sugar
• ½ teaspoon vanilla paste

Instructions

 

COOKIE CRUST

• Preheat the oven at 160ºC/ 320ºF, conventional oven.
• In a food processor, blend the digestive cookies and granulated sugar together until a fine sand-like texture. Melt the butter. Add the melted butter to the food processor and blend it together with the blended cookies.
  250 g digestive cookies, 1,5 tablespoon granulated sugar, 90 g butter
• In a 22 cm/ 9 in springform add parchment paper to the bottom. Add the cookie crumbs and press the cookie crust down with the bottom of a glass, and up against the side of the pan, so it’s well packed together and flattened out.
• Bake it for 10 minutes. Then let it cool down so that it’s cool to touch.

CHEESECAKE

• Keep the oven temperature at 160ºC/ 325ºF conventional oven.
• In a bowl of a stand mixer, using the paddle attachment, or using a hand mixer cream the cream cheese for 1 minute on low speed. Then gradually add the granulated sugar. Once all the granulated sugar is added, scrape down the sides of the bowl and let it mix for 1 minute on low speed.
  600 g cream cheese, 200 g granulated sugar
• In a small bowl, mix together the sour cream and cornstarch until smooth.
  80 g sour cream, 2 tablespoon cornstarch
• Add it to the cream cheese together with the lemon juice and vanilla bean paste and let it mix on low speed until combined.
  70 g lemon juice, 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
• Then add one egg at a time and let it mix on low speed until combined.
  3 large eggs
• Once all the eggs have mixed in, scrape down the sides of the bowl and give it a final mix to make sure all the ingredients have incorporated. Pour the cheesecake batter into the spring pan.
• Boil up water in a kettle. Place the springform pan in a 25 cm/10 inch cake pan. Place the cake pan in another baking pan or roasting pan and fill it with hot water ⅔ up the side of the pan. This method will prevent water from getting into the crust.
• Alternatively, add a triple layer of aluminium foil around the cake pan to safely seal it from the water before placing it in a water bath. There might be a possibility of water leaking in, so make sure it's covered well if choosing this method.
• Bake for 1 hour and 10 min.
• Once the time has passed, give the tray a very gentle shake. The cheesecake should still be a bit wobbly in the middle. Turn off the oven and have the oven door slightly open and let the cheesecake cool down in the oven for 1 hour.
• Then take it out of the oven and remove it from the water bath. Take off the aluminium foil and place the cheesecake on a cooling rack. Let it cool down for 1 hour to room temperature. Once at room temperature, place it in the fridge, covered with plastic wrap. Let it set for at least 6 hours, preferable overnight.

LEMON CURD

• While the cheesecake bakes make the lemon curd.
• In a small pot add lemon juice, sugar, egg, and egg yolk. With a whisk, constantly whisk the curd, while heating it up on a medium heat until it starts to thicken.
  80 g lemon juice, 100 g granulated sugar, 1 egg, 1 egg yolks
• Then take it off the heat, and pour it through a sieve over a bowl, to catch any cooked egg bits.
• Let it sit for 2 minutes to slightly cool down. Then add the cold cubed butter and stir it in while it melts into the curd. Cover the curd with a piece of cling film so it touches the surface of the curd and place it in the fridge. Let it cool down until it’s needed.
  50 g butter

MERINGUE

• In a mixing bowl of your stand mixer, add the egg whites and sugar. Place the bowl over a saucepan of simmering water, making sure the water does not touch the bowl. With the whisk attachment to your mixer, use it to constantly stir around the mixture until the sugar granules have melted together with the egg whites.
  90 g egg whites, 180 g granulated sugar
• Take it off the heat and place it in your stand mixer, and immediately set it at the highest speed. Let it mix for 5-6 minutes until the bowl feels room temperature and the meringue creates stiff peaks. Then add the vanilla and whisk it in.
  ½ teaspoon vanilla paste
• Release the cheesecake from the springform and move the chilled cheesecake to a serving dish. Add the lemon curd on top of the cheesecake and even it out. Add the meringue on top of the lemon curd and blowtorch the meringue to finish it off. Place it back in the fridge until ready to serve. The meringue will be freshest when eaten within 8 hours but the cheesecake can last up to 3 days in the fridge.

Nutrition

Calories: 580kcalCarbohydrates: 63gProtein: 13gFat: 32gSaturated Fat: 18gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 9gTrans Fat: 0.4gCholesterol: 137mgSodium: 484mgPotassium: 229mgFiber: 1gSugar: 49gVitamin A: 1087IUVitamin C: 5mgCalcium: 89mgIron: 1mg

Keyword cheesecake, lemon, Meringue

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