🍋🍰 Lemon Meringue Cheesecake
This dessert combines three classics in one: a creamy cheesecake base, bright lemon curd, and fluffy toasted meringue on top. It’s rich, tangy, and light all at once.
🛒 Ingredients
🍪 Crust
- 1 1/2 cups crushed graham crackers (or digestive biscuits)
- 1/3 cup melted butter
- 2 tbsp sugar (optional)
🍰 Cheesecake layer
- 500g cream cheese, softened
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup sour cream or heavy cream
🍋 Lemon layer
- 1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
- Zest of 1–2 lemons
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 2 egg yolks
- 1 tbsp cornstarch
- 2 tbsp butter
🍥 Meringue topping
- 3 egg whites
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1/4 tsp cream of tartar (or a few drops lemon juice)
🔥 Step 1: Make the crust
- Mix crushed biscuits with melted butter and sugar.
- Press into a springform pan.
- Bake at 180°C (350°F) for 8–10 minutes. Cool.
🍰 Step 2: Cheesecake layer
- Beat cream cheese and sugar until smooth.
- Add eggs one at a time.
- Mix in vanilla and sour cream.
- Pour over crust.
- Bake at 160°C (320°F) for 40–45 minutes.
- Let cool completely.
🍋 Step 3: Lemon curd layer
- In a saucepan, whisk lemon juice, zest, sugar, egg yolks, and cornstarch.
- Cook on low heat, stirring until thick.
- Remove from heat and mix in butter.
- Cool slightly, then spread over cheesecake.
🍥 Step 4: Meringue topping
- Whip egg whites with cream of tartar until soft peaks form.
- Gradually add sugar and whip until stiff, glossy peaks.
🔥 Step 5: Assemble & toast
- Spread meringue over lemon layer.
- Use a spoon to create peaks.
- Bake at 200°C (390°F) for 5–8 minutes OR use a torch until golden.
❄️ Step 6: Chill & serve
- Chill for at least 4 hours before slicing.
😋 Result
You get:
- Creamy, rich cheesecake base
- Bright, tangy lemon curd layer
- Sweet toasted meringue topping
- Perfect balance of sweet + citrus + creamy
If you want, I can also make:
- 🍓 Strawberry meringue cheesecake version
- 🍫 Lemon-chocolate swirl cheesecake
- 🧁 No-bake shortcut version (faster and easier)
