Lemon meringue cheesecake

I have a serious soft spot for lemon meringue pie but not because of the coconutty crust or the velvety smooth filling (made with condensed milk please!) or even the puffs of crispy-marshmallowy meringue that adorn the top. Nope, it's not because of any of those things. In fact it doesn't even have anything to do with the pie. It's because it's my dad's ultimate favourite dessert and that makes it special in our family. 

This version, made with a baked lemon cheesecake filling, combines the best of both pie and cheesecake worlds and the layer of tangy lemon curd that oozes out the bottom when you cut it, adds an extra heavenly dimension. And if you'd like to go to a little extra effort, I think cute little mini versions of this (made in ring moulds or even clean tins!) would make a memorable dessert! 

Lemon meringue cheesecake

Serves 10-12

400g biscuits, crushed

100g butter, melted

540g full fat cream cheese, softened

150g castor sugar

3 eggs

20ml double cream

1 tsp vanilla extract

juice and finely grated zest of 1 lemon

½ cup store-bought lemon curd (optional)

4 egg whites

120g castor sugar 

Preheat the oven to 160C. Grease and line a 22cm springform cake tin with baking paper.

Combine biscuits and butter and press into the bottom and up the sides of the tin to form a crust.

Beat the cream cheese until soft and smooth then add the castor sugar, eggs, double cream, vanilla, juice and lemon zest. Spread a thin layer of lemon curd over the crust then pour in the cheesecake filling.

Whip the egg whites until soft peak stage then add the castor sugar gradually until the meringue is glossy and the sugar is dissolved.

Top the cheesecake with the meringue mixture, using a spoon to create soft peaks.

Bake for 1 hour then leave the door slightly ajar (or place a wooden spoon in the oven door to keep it open), switch the oven off and allow the cheesecake to cool completely.

Refrigerate until set then serve.

Lemon white chocolate melting moments

Rich and buttery, these pretty shortbreads are delicious with a touch of zesty lemon. They earn their name from the large amount of fat they contain, which allows them to almost magically melt in the mouth. Orange or lime zest would make a great variation in place of the lemon zest, as would swopping the white chocolate filling for sweet raspberry jam, chocolate spread or flavoured butter creams like passionfruit or lime. They would also be mind-blowing with my caramelised white chocolate! I adore this recipe so much and shamefully often forget about it when I'm making a batch of cookies to fill the tin. They are just to-die-for and I don't think there is a person on this planet that would not close their eyes in sheer bliss when biting into one. A melting moment indeed.

Photography by Christelle Botha for Zone magazine

Lemon white chocolate melting moments

Makes 12

175g butter or margarine, softened slightly

1/4 cup icing sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup cake flour, sifted
1/4 cup corn flour sifted

Zest of 1 lemon

100g white chocolate, melted

Preheat oven to 180°C. Line a baking tray with baking paper. Cream the butter, icing sugar and vanilla in a bowl until light and fluffy. Stir in the flour and corn flour until combined and soft. Place the mixture into a piping bag fitted with a fluted nozzle. Pipe 3 cm rounds onto lined baking tray, allowing room for spreading. Place the tray of biscuits into the fridge for 30 minutes for the butter to chill then bake for 12-14 min or until golden. Cool on the tray. Sandwich the cookies together with the melted white chocolate. Store in an airtight container.

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Lemon ginger tarts with meringue ice cream

Did you know that there are 55 uses for a lemon? Well, 56 if you count eating it, which is obviously, my favourite use of all. But turn the lemon into these good-looking tarts and now we’re talking! Along with the zesty zing of our over-achieving citrus friend, I've added a generous dash of ginger lemongrass cordial to this tart (because it was sitting around in my cupboard and I had to use it up), which I thought was a rather clever way of using this it - if I do say so myself. This recipe is a bit of a challenge so if you’re of the school of thought that believe life is too short to make your own pastry or ice cream, then by all means go the store-bought route (I won’t judge you, promise.)

Lemon ginger lemongrass tarts with meringue ice cream

Serves 8-10

Meringue ice cream

250ml double cream

150ml cream

3-4T castor sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

4-5 meringues, crumbled

Shortcrust pastry

225g cake flour

125g cold butter, chopped

½ cup icing sugar, sifted

3 egg yolks

2 tsp vanilla extract

1 tbsp ice cold water

Lemon filling

1 cup cream

2 eggs

3 yolks

½ cup ginger lemongrass cordial, plus extra for serving

¼ cup castor sugar

¼ cup lemon juice

Begin by making the ice cream, whisk the creams together with the sugar until just combined and the mixture just holds its shape (careful not to over mix or the ice cream will be grainy and buttery). 

Stir in the crushed meringues and freeze until firm.

For the pastry, place the flour, butter and icing sugar in the bowl of a food processor and process in short bursts until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. While the motor is running, add the egg yolk and vanilla. Add the iced water and process until the dough just comes together. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface and bring together to form a ball. Flatten into a disc, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour. Preheat oven to 180ºC. Roll the pastry out to 3mm thick. Line 8-10 lightly greased loose-bottomed small tart tins with the pastry. Trim the edges and prick the base with a fork. Refrigerate for 30 minutes. 

Bake the pastry blind: line the pastry case with non-stick baking paper, fill with baking weights or beans and bake for 10 minutes. Remove the paper and the weights and bake for a further 10 minutes or until golden. Set aside to cool.

To make the filling, whisk all the ingredients together until combined. 

Pour into the blind-baked pastry cases and bake at 140ºC for 30 minutes or until the filling is just set. 

Allow to cool completely then refrigerate until chilled. Serve the tarts drizzled with cordial and with a scoop of ice cream.

TIP I topped the tarts with fancy-looking candied orange twirls that you can buy at a tuisnywerhuid (local baking shop) but orange and lemon slices simmered in the ginger lemongrass cordial until soft and syrupy would also work like a charm.