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Lemon Meringue Cheesecake

Lemon meringue cheesecake combines the best of two desserts: the creamy richness of cheesecake with the toasty meringue topping of lemon meringue pie.

A slice of lemon meringue cheesecake with berries.
Welcome to #LemonWeek 2022 hosted by Lynn from Fresh April Flours and Rebecca from Devour Dinner.  This week is sponsored by Rodelle and La Tourangelle. I may have received product samples from these sponsors to help in the creation of my recipes. All opinions are my own. Come join me and my fellow Lemon Week bloggers as we bring you recipes from appetizers to drinks to entrées and desserts!
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Prize #1: Rodelle Prize Pack

Rodelle Prize Pack includes:

  • 2 count Gourmet Madagascar Vanilla Beans
  • 2oz Almond Extract
  • 4oz Natural Baker’s Extract
  • 4oz Vanilla Paste
  • 8oz Gourmet Vanilla Extract
  • 25oz Organic Baking Cocoa



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La Tourangelle Prize Pack includes:

  • Extra Virgin Olive Oil
  • Roasted Walnut Oil
  • Regenerative Sunflower Oil
  • 4oz Vanilla Paste
  • Fleur de Sel Almond Butter


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About Lemon Meringue Cheesecake

This is a small, 6-inch cheesecake, perfect for dessert for two (with leftovers!) or a small party. It has a basic, buttery graham cracker crust, topped with lemon-flavored cheesecake, lemon curd, and a toasted meringue topping.

You'll need a tall 6-inch springform pan (6 inches in diameter, 3 inches tall is a good size). You can use homemade lemon curd, or use storebought. I usually see jars of lemon curd either in the baking aisle, with the pie fillings, or in the jams/preserves aisle.

Ingredients

The crust is made of three ingredients.

Crust ingredients: graham crackers, sugar, and melted butter.
  • Graham cracker crumbs: there are boxes of crumbs in the baking aisle, or crush full sheets of graham crackers. Seven to eight full sheets of graham crackers will yield 1 cup of crumbs.
  • Sugar: why sugar, if there's already some in the graham crackers? Because during baking, the sugar melts and binds the crust together.
  • Unsalted butter, melted

Now, on to the filling. For a smooth, lump-free filling, make sure ALL of your ingredients are at room temperature before mixing. And scrape the bowl often!

Filling ingredients: eggs, cream, sugar, cream cheese, and lemon.
  • Cream cheese - preferably full-fat, but ⅓-less-fat works, too. Don't use fat-free.
  • Eggs - large
  • Heavy cream or half-and-half
  • Sugar
  • Lemon - we'll use both zest and juice. Zest your lemon before juicing it.

And finally, the meringue topping:

Meringue ingredients: sugar, vanilla, egg white.
  • One egg white (from one large egg)
  • Sugar
  • Vanilla extract

Instructions

Make the crust first, so that it has time to cool before adding the filling. Mix together the graham cracker crumbs and the sugar, and moistening everything with the melted butter. Press it into the bottom and up the sides of the springform pan.

A springform pan with graham cracker crust pressed in.

The first trick to a smooth, lump-free filling is to have all of your ingredients at room temperature before mixing.

The second trick is to scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl often. This ensures that there are no lumps of cream cheese clinging to the bowl and not getting mixed with the eggs.

If you want to, you can bake the cheesecake in a water bath, but you don't have to. To prevent cracking while the cheesecake is cooling, run a paring knife or offset spatula around the edge to loosen the cheesecake from the springform pan.

Equipment

I mentioned the springform pan earlier. I use a stand mixer, but a hand mixer will work just fine. You'll need a microplane grater to zest your lemon.

If you want to bake in a water bath, you'll need a larger cake pan or roasting pan.

And finally, don't forget the butane kitchen torch for toasting the meringue!

A lemon meringue cheesecake with toasted meringue in front of a butane kitchen torch.

Storage

Ideally, refrigerate the cheesecake before adding the meringue topping. Wait until shortly before serving to whip the meringue and toast it.

Store leftovers in the refrigerator, wrapped loosely with plastic wrap for 2 to 3 days. Much longer than that, and the meringue will weep and deflate.

A slice of lemon meringue cheesecake with blackberries.

Lemon Meringue Cheesecake

Yield: 8 servings
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
Cooling Time: 4 hours
Total Time: 5 hours 35 minutes

Lemon meringue cheesecake combines the best of two desserts: the creamy richness of cheesecake with the toasty meringue topping of lemon meringue pie.

Ingredients

For the crust

  • 1 cup (3.5 oz/99 g) graham cracker crumbs
  • 3 tablespoons (1.5 oz/43 g) unsalted butter, melted
  • 1 tablespoon (.45 oz/13 g) sugar

For the filling

  • 16 oz (454 g) cream cheese, room temperature
  • ¾ cup (5.25 oz/150 g) sugar
  • 2 tablespoons (30 mL) lemon juice
  • Zest of 1 lemon
  • ¼ cup (60 mL) heavy cream
  • 3 large eggs, at room temperature

For the topping

  • 4 ounces (114 g) lemon curd (store bought or homemade)

For the meringue

  • 1 large egg white
  • 2 tablespoons (.9 oz/26 g) sugar
  • ½ teaspoon (2.5 mL) vanilla extract

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F (160 degrees C).
  2. In a small bowl, combine the graham cracker crumbs, sugar and butter. Stir until all the crumbs are moistened.
  3. Press into the bottom and partially up the sides of a 6-inch springform pan.
  4. Place the springform pan on a baking sheet and bake for 5 minutes.
  5. Let the crust cool while you mix the cheesecake filling.
  6. With the paddle attachment on medium speed, beat the cream cheese until smooth. While continuing to beat, gradually add in the sugar and beat for 2 minutes.
  7. Add the cream, lemon zest and lemon juice, and beat until fully incorporated. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl.
  8. Beat in the eggs one at at time, scraping down the sides of the bowl between additions.
  9. Pour the batter into the crust. Place the pan on the baking sheet back in the oven and bake for 60 to 70 minutes, until the cheesecake just barely jiggles in the center when you gently shake the baking sheet.
  10. Place the springform pan on a wire rack to cool. Run an offset spatula or paring knife around the edge of the cheesecake to loosen it from the pan to prevent cracks.
  11. Once cool, spread the lemon curd on top of the cheesecake. Chill for at least 4 hours.
  12. About an hour before serving, take the cheesecake out of the refrigerator and let sit at room temperature. Meanwhile, make the meringue: beat the egg white until foamy. Gradually beat in the sugar, then the vanilla and continue beating to stiff peaks.
  13. Dollop the meringue over the cheesecake. Toast the peaks with a kitchen torch. Serve as soon as possible.

Notes

See my Lemon Curd Recipe for how to make it at home.

Nutrition Information:
Yield: 8 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 376Total Fat: 28gSaturated Fat: 16gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 9gCholesterol: 168mgSodium: 502mgCarbohydrates: 14gFiber: 0gSugar: 11gProtein: 18g

I am not a certified nutritionist. This nutrition information is automatically calculated by third party software and is meant as a guideline only.

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A slice of lemon meringue cheesecake with berries.

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