cheesecake

Lemon Meringue Cheesecake

August 9, 2021 By Ashley Leave a Comment

It’s my birthday week over here, and I’m starting this week off with a bang. One of my favorite cheesecakes and one that is most definitely worth making on repeat. My lemon meringue cheesecake combines the best of both worlds. Rich, creamy and silky cheesecake topped with sweet tart lemon curd, toasted marshmallowy meringue and baked on a crispy graham cracker crust, like lemon meringue pie. This cheesecake is so, so delicious, and makes an impressive dessert for any occasion.

Tips for Cheesecake Success

Super important, make sure your cheesecake ingredients are room temperature. If they’re too cold, the mixture could end up lumpy or curdled. The cheesecake mixture comes together pretty quickly in the bowl of stand mixer. Once the eggs are added, do not over beat. Eggs trap air and this could cause the cheesecake to puff and deflate. It’s best to do the heaviest beating when mixing the cream cheese and sugar. This ensures your cream cheese is smooth so you won’t feel like you will have to over mix to smooth out lumps when the remaining ingredients are added and mixed.

Prep the springform pan for the water bath by wrapping it with foil. The best foil to wrap your springform pan in, is 18″ wide heavy duty aluminum foil. This foil is long enough to wrap the pan without coming up short, which could allow the water to seep in. Double layer the foil for extra protection. The foil pan is then placed in a roasting pan, or a large pan (I’ve used a 14″ cake pan many times), and filled with hot water, halfway up the outside of foiled pan. The cheesecake is baked slowly in the water bath for about an hour/hour and fifteen. When the cheesecake is done baking, turn the oven off, prop the oven door open and let it slowly cool in the oven for 45 minutes. This process is crucial for preventing cracks. Cooling the cheesecake too fast can cause cracking. Finishing cooling at room temperature for 2-3 more hours.

The base of the cheesecake is a traditional graham cracker crust that is baked to golden brown before adding the cheesecake mixture. The cheesecake consists of cream cheese, eggs, egg yolks, sugar, lemon juice, lemon zest, vanilla and a little bit of heavy cream. I prefer to use Philadelphia brand cream cheese for my cheesecakes. It’s consistent quality and flavor, and a brand I know I like to bake with. Use a cream cheese you enjoy eating, but also one that doesn’t have a lot of odd ingredients and fillers.

Lemon Curd

When the cheesecake is nearly at room temperature, make the lemon curd. While the lemon curd is just warm, and the cheesecake is room temperature, spread the curd over the top of the cake. Cover the curd with plastic wrap to prevent a film from forming. Then chill the cheesecake for 3 more hours in the refrigerator. This will allow the curd to set up completely and also for the cheesecake to be properly chilled through.

Toasted Meringue

Before serving the cheesecake, prepare the meringue topping. This meringue comes together quickly and requires no cooking or sugar syrup. Just beat room temperature egg whites with cream of tartar and a pinch of salt until foamy. Increase the mixing speed, slowly add in the sugar and whip until thick and glossy. I use a small kitchen torch (always good to have on had for baking projects) to toast the meringue.

If you make my lemon meringue cheesecake, let me know! Drop a comment or tag me on Instagram. I love seeing your creations.

Enjoy!

Ash xx

For more cheesecake recipes, check out these posts:

Summer Berry Eton Mess Cheesecake

Raspberry Swirl Cheesecake Brownies

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Lemon Meringue Cheesecake

Rich and creamy lemon cheesecake with a crispy graham cracker crust topped with sweet tart lemon curd and toasted marshmallowy meringue

Prep Time45 mins

Cook Time1 hr 15 mins

Cooling Time6 hrs

Course: Dessert

Servings: servings

Ingredients

Graham Cracker Crust

1 ½ cup (150g) graham cracker crumbs, about 10 graham cracker sheets
¼ cup (50g) granulated sugar
6 tablespoons (84g) unsalted butter, melted
pinch of salt

Lemon Cheesecake

5 (8oz) blocks (1130g) cream cheese, room temperature
1 ⅓ cups (266g) granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon lemon zest
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup (120ml) heavy cream
5 large eggs, room temperature
2 large egg yolks, room temperature

Lemon Curd

1/2 cup (100g) granulated sugar
zest from a lemon
3 large egg yolks
1 large egg
1/2 cup (120ml) lemon juice
pinch of salt
2 tablespoon unsalted butter, room temperature

Meringue Topping

3 large egg whites, room temperature
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
pinch of salt
1/2 cup (100g) granulated sugar

Instructions

Make the crust.

Heat the oven to 325F. Line the bottom of a 9" springform pan with parchment paper.
Combine the graham cracker crumbs, sugar, melted butter and salt and mix with until evenly moistened.
Press the crumbs evenly into the bottom of the springform pan.
Bake the crust for 12-14 minutes, or until lightly browned around the edges.
Cool the crust completely. Cut (2) 18" pieces of heavy duty aluminum foil. Criss-cross the pieces so that they overlap, and tightly wrap the foil around the pan and up to the edges of the pan. This size of foil is critical to make sure that the pieces aren't too small, which could allow leaking. Set aside and make the filling.

Make the Cheesecake.

In the bowl of the stand mixer, place the softened cream cheese. Beat on medium speed to combine and break up the cream cheese.
Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl, then beat for another minute.
Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl again, then add in the sugar and salt. Beat until combined.
Scrape the bowl again, then beat for an additional minute, ensuring everything is well blended.
Add in the cream, lemon juice, lemon zest and vanilla. Beat on low until combined, about a minute.
Scrape the bowl. Add both egg yolks and mix until combined, about a minute.
Scrape the bowl. Add in the eggs, 1-2 at a time, beating until combined, scraping the bowl between additions.
Lightly brush the sides of the springform pan with melted butter.
Place the springform into a roasting pan or a large (14") cake pan. Prepare a pitcher of hot water.
Pour the cheesecake mixture into the pan, and use an offset spatula to smooth out the batter.
Place the roasting pan into the oven. Fill the roasting pan with the hot water, just enough to come halfway up the sides of the foil of the springform pan.
Bake the cheesecake until the cheesecake jiggles slightly, no longer appears wet and an instant read thermometer reads 150F, about 60-90 minutes.
Once done baking, turn off the oven. Prop the oven door open slightly with a wooden spoon. Let the cheesecake slowly cool in the water bath in the oven for 45 minutes.
Remove the cheesecake from the oven. Remove the foil. Place the cheesecake on a wire rack.
Run a small knife around the edge of the pan to loosen the cheesecake and keep it from splitting in the middle.
Cool the cheesecake to room temperature, about 2-3 hours.

Make the lemon curd.

Combine the sugar and lemon zest into a bowl. Rub the mix between your hands to release the oils of the zest. The mixture will be like wet sand.
Add the eggs and egg yolks to the sugar mixture and whisk to combine.
Add the lemon juice and whisk to combine.
Pour the mixture into a medium sauce pan, and place over a medium low heat. Add the butter. Stir continuously to keep the mixture moving so your eggs don't scramble.
Cook the curd until thick and just beginning to bubble, or until an instant read thermometer reaches 170F. The curd will thicken more in the refrigerator.
Strain the curd into a clean shallow bowl, and let it sit until it reaches room temperature.
Pour the curd onto the room temperature cheesecake. Use a spatula to spread the curd evenly over the cheesecake.
Carefully lay a piece of plastic wrap over the curd to prevent a skin from forming. Place in the refrigerator until the curd is set and the cheesecake is cold, about 3 hours.

Make the meringue topping.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, combine the egg whites and cream of tartar.
Whip the egg whites on low/medium speed until the whites are foamy.
Turn the mixer up to high speed and slowly pour in the sugar.
Whip the egg whites until stiff peaks form and the mixture is thick and glossy.
Top the cheesecake with the meringue. Use a kitchen torch to toast the meringue. Serve immediately.

Summer Berry Eton Mess Cheesecake

July 16, 2020 By Ashley Leave a Comment

Rich, dense, smooth and creamy, cheesecake is truly a dessert staple. Top it with with freshly whipped cream, crushed vanilla bean meringues, fresh berries and a fresh berry sauce and it’s the perfect indulgent dessert. My summer berry Eton mess cheesecake is a twist on the classic English dessert, Eton mess. Eton mess traditionally consists of macerated strawberries, whipped cream and crunchy chewy meringue. It’s kind of like a deconstructed pavlova where the ingredients are sort of just tossed together, hence, the “mess”. It may be a bit messy, but this dessert is anything but. Creamy, crunchy, rich and tangy, this summer berry Eton mess cheesecake is a lofty beauty and makes a show stopping dessert for any event.

Let’s talk New York cheesecake

New York style cheesecake is generally the type of cheesecake most of people are familiar with. This cheesecake is dense, creamy and smooth in texture. It’s rich, and hard to eat more than just a small piece – even though we try to anyway, because, well, it’s so good.

So what makes this cheesecake so different than others? In all reality, not *that* much. The ingredients in NY style cheesecake are similar in cheesecakes that are light and fluffy or soft and creamy – cream cheese, eggs, sugar and usually heavy cream or sour cream. Non NY cheesecakes can also use different types of cheese – mascarpone, quark, ricotta, etc. It’s how they’re used and the quantities that makes the most difference. In NY cheesecakes, more cream cheese is used, and cream or sour cream is also used, but a small amount is added for richness and creaminess, and extra eggs and/or egg yolks are added to also make it more dense and rich. NY cheesecakes are usually baked at a high temp first, then lowered to get that iconic NY cheesecake brown outer top but still maintain that creamy center. Oftentimes, NY cheesecakes don’t call for a water bath either.

About this cheesecake recipe

Now, this cheesecake recipe is similar to that of the NY cheesecake with some exceptions. I wanted the dense, velvety and creamy cheesecake, but wasn’t sold on the firmer exterior (that occurs without the water bath) or the traditional browned top, for my Eton mess cheesecake. I wanted many of the characteristics of a NY cheesecake, for the cheesecake to be able to stand on it’s own, but also traditional enough to be topped with any sort of topping – fruit, chocolate, curds, etc.

Yes, this cheesecake requires a water bath. I know, it seems daunting, and the worry of leaks is real, but trust me on this. I’ve made many, many cheesecakes over the years, and the water bath is just so necessary to keep the cheesecake from drying out along the edges and to keep the top from cracking, and allows the cheesecake to bake more evenly. I’ve got some tips and tricks in the recipe that will keep you from getting a watery, leaky mess.

The base of the cheesecake is a traditional graham cracker crust that is baked to golden brown before adding the cheesecake mixture. The cheesecake consists of cream cheese, eggs, egg yolks, sugar, lemon juice, vanilla and a little bit of heavy cream. Sour cream can be used in place of the cream, just reduce the lemon juice by a teaspoon so that it’s not too tangy. I prefer to use Philadelphia brand cream cheese for my cheesecakes. It’s consistent quality and flavor, and a brand I know I like to bake with. Use a cream cheese you enjoy eating, but also one that doesn’t have a lot of odd ingredients and fillers.

The berry sauce is made by simmering fresh or frozen berries, lemon juice, and sugar. Allow the mixture to simmer until thickened. At this point, you can leave the seeds and chunks of berries in as is, or you can blend, then strain the mixture for a smooth sauce. I typically strain mine for a smooth sauce. Allow the sauce to cool to room temperature before using.

Fresh whipped cream requires only 3 ingredients – heavy cream, sugar and vanilla, and is super simple to make. Chill the bowl of a stand mixer and a whisk attachment in the fridge before making the whipped cream. Beat the ingredients together until the cream *just* holds stiff peaks. Spread the cheesecake with the whipped cream, reserving a little bit to pipe in between the meringues.

You can use store bought meringues or you can make your own. Find my recipe for small batch meringues here. Make the meringues according to the directions, but instead of piping the meringues, use a spoon to create rounded spoonfuls (these don’t have to be perfect, or even all that pretty), and place on a parchment lined cookie sheet. Bake the meringues for about an hour/hour and a half, until the meringues are firm to the touch, and no longer sticky. They should be firm and crunchy on the outside, and softer and chewier on the inside. Cool before using.

Place the meringues on the whipped cream, overlapping them to create height. Use the remaining whipped cream to pipe in between the meringues. Top the cheesecake with halved strawberries, raspberries, blackberries and blueberries. Drizzle the cheesecake with the berry sauce. Add some fresh, edible flowers or mint for garnish if you wish and serve. Enjoy!

Check out these recipes for more fruity desserts:

Spicy Pineapple Margarita Granita

Black Forest Cupcakes

Honey Cardamom Peach Galettes

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Summer Berry Eton Mess Cheesecake

Creamy, crunchy, rich and tangy, this summer berry Eton mess cheesecake is a lofty beauty and makes a show stopping dessert for any event.

Prep Time20 mins

Cook Time2 hrs

Cooling Time3 hrs

Course: Dessert

Servings: servings

Ingredients

Graham Cracker Crust

1 ½ cups (150g) graham cracker crumbs, about 10 full graham crackers
1/4 cup (50g) granulated sugar
6 tablespoons (84g) unsalted butter, melted
pinch of salt

Cheesecake

5 (8oz) blocks (1130g) cream cheese, room temperature
1 ⅓ cup (266g) granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup (120ml) heavy cream
5 large eggs, room temperature
2 large egg yolks, room temperature

Berry Sauce

2 cups (454g) fresh or frozen berries
1/4 cup (50g) granulated sugar
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

Whipped Cream

1 cup (240ml) heavy whipping cream
1 tablespoon granulated or confectioner's sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 batch meringues

Instructions

Make the crust

Heat the oven to 325F. Line the bottom of a 9" springform pan with parchment paper.
Combine the graham cracker crumbs, sugar, melted butter and salt and mix with until evenly moistened.
Press the crumbs evenly into the bottom of the springform pan.
Bake the crust for 12-14 minutes, or until lightly browned around the edges.
Cool the crust completely. Cut (2) 18" pieces of heavy duty aluminum foil. Criss-cross the pieces so that they overlap, and tightly wrap the foil around the pan and up to the edges of the pan. This size of foil is critical to make sure that the pieces aren't too small, which could allow leaking. Set aside and make the filling.

Make the cheesecake

In the bowl of the stand mixer, place the softened cream cheese. Beat on medium speed to combine and break up the cream cheese.
Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl, then beat for another minute.
Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl again, then add in the sugar and salt. Beat until combined.
Scape the bowl again, then beat for an additional minute, ensuring everything is well blended.
Add in the cream, lemon juice and vanilla. Beat on low until combined, about a minute.
Scrape the bowl. Add both egg yolks and mix until combined, about a minute.
Scrape the bowl. Add in the eggs, 1-2 at a time, beating until combined, scraping the bowl between additions.
Lightly brush the sides of the springform pan with melted butter.
Place the springform into a roasting pan or a large (14") cake pan. Prepare a pitcher of hot water.
Pour the cheesecake mixture into the pan, and use an offset spatula to smooth out the batter.
Place the roasting pan into the oven. Fill the roasting pan with the hot water, just enough to come halfway up the sides of the foil of the springform pan.
Bake the cheesecake until the cheesecake jiggles slightly, no longer appears wet and an instant read thermometer reads 150F, about 60-90 minutes.
Once done baking, turn off the oven. Prop the oven door open slightly with a wooden spoon. Let the cheesecake slowly cool in the water bath in the oven for 45 minutes.
Remove the cheesecake from the oven. Remove the foil. Place the cheesecake on a wire rack.
Run a small knife around the edge of the pan to loosen the cheesecake and keep it from splitting in the middle.
Cool the cheesecake to room temperature, about 2-3 hours.
Wrap the top of the pan with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 3 hours.

Make the berry sauce

Combine the berries, sugar and lemon juice in a large saucepan over medium-low heat.
Break up the berries with a potato masher or a wooden spoon.
Simmer until thickened, about 15-20 minutes. Let the sauce cool completely before using.
For a seedless sauce, blend the mixture until smooth. Strain the mixture using a fine mesh sieve.

Make the whipped cream

Place a bowl and mixer whisk attachment into the freezer for 20 minutes.
Combine the cream, and sugar into the chilled bowl. Beat the mixture until stiff peaks *just* start to form.
Add the vanilla extract and mix just to combine. Use immediately.

Raspberry Swirl Cheesecake Brownies

July 11, 2018 By Ashley Leave a Comment

When it comes to brownies, I feel like everyone has their go-to recipe, and the idea of yet another brownie recipe seems so ho hum. But these raspberry swirl cheesecake brownies are not your typical brownies. These brownies are decadent, chocolaty, creamy and fruity, all in one bite. Fresh raspberry jam is swirled into a creamy cheesecake topping that is swirled into intensely chocolatey and fudgy brownies. The raspberry jam is sweet-tart, with a concentrated fruity flavor. The cheesecake swirl is creamy and tangy and is super delicious with the raspberry and chocolate. While there are a few components to making this recipe, they’re easy to prepare in advance, and can be assembled before baking.

How to make the fresh raspberry jam

This super small batch of fresh raspberry jam is easy and can prepared quickly. I prefer using fresh raspberries, but you can use frozen if you prefer. To make the jam, combine sugar and raspberries into a saucepan with a bit of lemon juice. The juice will help retain the bright pink raspberry color and add a pop of freshness to the jam. Bring the mixture to a boil and let it reduce, stirring occasionally. That’s literally it. The raspberry jam will be thickened and super concentrated in flavor. After straining out the seeds and pulp, pop in the fridge to cool and thicken up further. Not only is this jam fabulous in these brownies but it’s also great for drizzling on ice cream, mixing into butter creams, spreading on scones and even for mimosas.

The cheesecake batter

Cream cheese is mixed together with an egg yolk, sugar and vanilla. Be sure the cream cheese and egg yolk are room temperature before mixing so the cheesecake doesn’t curdle. Once the cheesecake batter is mixed until completely smooth, set aside and prepare the brownie batter. If you’re assembling your brownies at a later time, cover the bowl and pop the the cheesecake mixture into the fridge.

How to make the brownies

This brownie recipe is dense and intensely chocolatey. No cakey brownie here. It’s my absolute favorite and I use variations of this brownie recipe all the time. Be sure to use higher quality chocolate here because the chocolate flavor is everything in these brownies. Butter is melted with chocolate and espresso powder. The sugars are whisked in to the warm mixture to dissolve a bit and bring the mixture up to a cooler temperature so that when the eggs are added, they don’t scramble. Eggs are whisked in one at a time, followed by vanilla. Cocoa powder, flour and salt are added until *just* blended. Don’t over mix or the brownies will be tough.

To achieve the swirls, start by spreading the brownie mixture evenly into the pan. Using a small ice cream scoop, or a spoon, scoop out equal portions of the cheesecake mixture onto the brownie batter. Spoon about a teaspoon of jam over each cheesecake scoop. With a knife or skewer, create swirls in the batters until the cheesecake mixture and jam are well distributed and swirled. Pop in some fresh raspberries if you wish, then bake. I know it will be hard to resist, but allow the brownies to cool fully before cutting into them. Store leftovers in the fridge tightly wrapped with plastic wrap.

Enjoy!

Ash xx

For more delicious bar and brownie recipes, check out these posts:

Blackberry Pie Bars

Lavender Lemon Shortbread Bars

Salty Bourbon Millionaire Bars

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5 from 1 vote

Raspberry Swirl Cheesecake Brownies

Sweet-tart, homemade raspberry jam is swirled into a creamy cheesecake topping and swirled into a dense, fudgy brownie.

Prep Time15 mins

Cook Time45 mins

Total Time1 hr

Course: Dessert

Servings: -12 squares

Ingredients

Raspberry Jam

3/4 cups (6oz/170g) fresh raspberries, frozen works well too
2 teaspoons fresh squeezed lemon juice
2 tablespoons granulated sugar

Cheesecake

1 block (8oz/225g) Philadelphia cream cheese
1 large egg yolk
1/4 cup (50g) granulated sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Brownies

3/4 cup unbleached, all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons good quality cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
1/2 cup unsalted butter
1/2 teaspoon instant espresso powder
2/3 cup bittersweet chocolate, chopped
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup light brown sugar
3 large eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350 F. Line an 8x8 square pan with parchment paper.
Make the raspberry jam first to allow time to cool. In a saucepan, heat the raspberries, sugar and lemon juice over medium heat. Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally to prevent burning.
Reduce raspberry mixture until it has thickened a bit. Strain mixture through a sieve into a bowl. You should have 1/4-1/3 of a cup of raspberry jam. Place into the refrigerator to chill.
Make the cheesecake batter. Combine the softened cream cheese, egg yolk, sugar and vanilla and mix with a hand mixer or a whisk until smooth. Set aside.
Make the brownie batter. In small bowl, whisk the flour, cocoa powder and salt to combine. Set aside.
In a medium saucepan, over the lowest heat setting, melt the butter with the espresso powder.
Once melted, remove the pan from heat and stir in the chocolate chips until completely melted.
Add in both the granulated and brown sugars and stir until combined. The mixture should now be room temperature.
Add in the eggs, one at a time, stirring just to combine after each addition.
Stir in the vanilla extract.
Stir in the flour mixture until just combined.
Pour the brownie mixture into the pan and spread evenly with a spatula.
Using an ice cream scoop, scoop the cheesecake mixture onto the brownies in nine even spots.
Spoon a teaspoon of the raspberry jam over the cheesecake scoops.
Using a butter knife, create swirls in the batter until the jam and the cheesecake are well distributed. Press a few fresh raspberries into the batter.
Place into preheated oven to bake for 38-45 minutes. This time could be a bit longer, or it could be less. Insert a toothpick into the center to check for doneness. There shouldn't be uncooked cheesecake batter. The edges should be visibly cooked, pale brown and the brownies shouldn't jiggle or look wet.
Once baked, set on wire rack to cool. To speed up the cooling process, pop into the fridge after cooling down from the oven for 15 minutes.
Once cool, cut into even bars and serve.