This Lemon meringue pie cheesecake is decadent and rich - a lemon cheesecake with a ribbon of homemade lemon curd running through the middle, another layer of lemon curd spread across the top. Baked in a Lemon cookie crumb crust and topped with a fluffy toasted meringue every bite is amazing.
Course Dessert
Cuisine English, Greek
Keyword american meringue, cheesecake, cheesecake recipe, lemon curd, meringue
Prep Time 45 minutesminutes
Cook Time 1 hourhour12 minutesminutes
refrigerating time 8 hourshours
Total Time 9 hourshours57 minutesminutes
Servings 16servings
Calories 495kcal
Author Ashlee Marie
Ingredients
Lemon Curd
2Tbsplemon zestabout 3 lemons
1/2Clemon juiceabout 4 lemons - zest the 4th and save for the cheesecake
heat the lemon zest and lemon juice in small saucepan over medium heat until hot but not boiling.
Whisk the eggs, yolk and sugar in a bowl
Whisking constantly, slowly pour hot lemon juice into eggs, this will temper the eggs – aka bring them up to heat without scrambling them
Then return mixture to saucepan and cook over medium heat, stirring, until mixture registers 170 degrees F (remember to adjust for altitude)
Take off the heat and pour into a bowl
Stir in the butter, cream and salt – note for a brighter lemon curd leave out the whipping cream
Cover surface of curd directly with plastic wrap to avoid getting a “skin” on the curd - refrigerate until needed.
Lemon Cookie Crumb Crust
preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In a food processor process cookies until a fine crumb
Add the sugar and melted butter and process again
Press mixture into a 9 inch springform pan, along the bottom and up the sides
Bake until fragrant 10-12 mins
Set aside and let cool
Lemon Cheesecake
bring oven temperature down to 300
While crust is cooling, mix 1/4 cup sugar and lemon zest in food processor until sugar is yellow and zest is broken down, about 15 seconds
In a mixing bowl beat the cream cheese, sugar and vanilla until smooth
Add the lemon sugar mixture and beat until mixture is creamy and smooth, scraping down bowl with rubber spatula as needed.
Add the lemon juice and mix until just incorporated
Reduce speed to medium-low and add eggs and yolk 1 at a time; beat until incorporated, about 30 seconds, scraping sides and bottom of bowl well after each addition.
Pour half the batter into the crust, then spoon on 1/3 of the lemon curd and swirl it slightly
Spoon the rest of the cheesecake batter over the top
Place in the silicone water bath pan – and place in a 12 inch round cake pan, adding water ½ way up
Bake about 1 hour until the sides start to puff, the surface is no longer shiny and the center 4-5 inches jiggles slightly – like a jello jiggler
Turn off oven and prop open oven door with potholder or wooden spoon handle; allow cake to cool in water bath in oven for 30 min to 1 hour.
When the cheesecake has mostly cooled, spread the rest of the curd evenly over the top of cheesecake.
Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight or 8 to 24 hours.
Meringue topping
Put eggs whites, sugar and corn syrup in a bowl over boiling water and beat with a hand mixer until the mixture turns white, thickens and ribbons form- about 4 mins.
Transfer the mixture to a cool mixing bowl, add the vanilla and beat with electric mixer on Med high until soft peaks form- about 3 mins
Pipe or Spread onto the cheesecake
Use a culinary torch to toast the outside of the meringue