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.
That looks perfectly lovely. Will you please tell me what kind of biscuits you use? Thank you :)
ReplyDeleteHi Scarlette - I used tea biscuits (coconut) but digestive biscuits would work just as well!
DeleteHi , this is beautiful, is this cooked in stages, the crust cooked then the cheesecake cooked then the meringue cooked or all at once like it reads, I am confused.
ReplyDeleteHi Pamela! It's cooked all at once - crust, filling and meringue! So easy! :)
DeleteHi there! This looks delicious! I live in the US though, and we don't have double cream. Is it like a sour cream? Or I'm wondering if I could get away with using heavy cream as a substitute
ReplyDeleteHi there! You're spot on, your heavy cream is our double cream so that would work perfectly :) Happy baking!
DeleteI finally made this - it was heavenly! Mine didn't set completely in the centre, but held it's shape and may have even been better for it. What a treat, thank you for sharing x
ReplyDeletePS I made my lemon curd using the yolks from the meringue, which was nice win-win.
Hi Courtney! So glad it came out well - and very clever using the yolks - no wastage! Great tip x
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