Lemon meringue cheesecake

A delicious marriage of cheesecake and lemon meringue pie that’s sure to tickle the tastebuds!

Photographs: Natasha Liviero

Text: Natasha Liviero

Lemon meringue cheesecake

Makes 1 x 23cm cake

Ingredients:

230g ginger biscuits, crushed

30g Demerara sugar/brown sugar

80g butter, melted

680g cream cheese (I used Philadelphia)

200g castor sugar

240g sour cream

20g corn flour

60g lemon juice

10g vanilla extract

Pinch of salt

4 XL eggs

Meringue:

210g sugar

118g water

95g egg whites

1/4 tsp cream of tartar

15g lemon juice

150g lemon curd

Method:

1. Set oven to 160C.

2. Line and grease the base and sides of a 23cm springform pan.

3. Combine the ginger biscuits with the Demerera sugar and melted butter.

4. Press the biscuit mixture into the base of the baking pan and bake for 10 minutes.

5. With a paddle attachment, beat the cheese until smooth. Add the sugar.

6. Combine the sour cream and corn flour and add to the cream cheese mixture, followed by the lemon juice, vanilla and pinch of salt. Mix until smooth.

7. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating until just combined.

8. Pour the mixture over the biscuit base, tap a few times to release air bubbles and bake for 40 minutes.

9. Turn off the oven, open the door (about 20cm) and leave the cheesecake to cool in the oven for 1 hour.

10. Remove from the oven and cool completely at room temperature before covering and placing in the fridge overnight.

11. A few hours before serving the cheesecake, prepare the meringue by heating the sugar and water over low heat until the sugar dissolves.

12. Increase the heat to medium-high and boil, without stirring, until the mixture reaches 116C.

13. Whilst the sugar syrup is boiling, place the egg whites in the bowl of a stand mixer and whisk to the soft peak stage. On low speed, carefully pour the sugar syrup over the edge of the bowl, avoiding the whisk.

14. Immediately after that, add the cream of tartar and lemon juice and beat on high speed until the meringue mixture cools to room temperature, about 6-8 minutes. The meringue should be glossy with stiff peaks.

15. Remove the cheesecake from the baking pan and place on a serving plate. Spread the lemon curd over the cake, leaving a 2cm border around the sides.

16. Spoon the meringue over the lemon curd and swirl with the back of a spoon.

17. Carefully brown the meringue with a kitchen torch and place in the fridge until ready to serve.

Notes:

• Ensure the cheese, sour cream, and eggs are at room temperature.

• For an even softer centre, bake the cheesecake for 35-36 minutes.

• The lemon curd can be replaced with granadilla or grapefruit curd.

• For a plain lemon cheesecake, add an extra 10g lemon juice and the zest of a lemon to the cheesecake mixture and serve without the curd and meringue toppings.