Lemon Meringue Cheesecake
Rich and creamy lemon cheesecake with a crispy graham cracker crust topped with sweet tart lemon curd and toasted meringue
Equipment
- Roasting pan (or any baking pan that is a few inches wider than the springform pan)
Ingredients
Graham Cracker Crust
- 1 ½ cups graham cracker crumbs, about 10 full graham cracker sheets
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- ⅛ teaspoon fine sea salt
Lemon Cheesecake
- 5 cups cream cheese, room temperature (5 blocks)
- 1 ⅓ cups granulated sugar
- ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
- ½ cup heavy cream, room temperature
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest
- 2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 5 large eggs, room temperature
- 2 large egg yolks, room temperature
Lemon Curd
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons lemon zest
- 3 large egg yolks (reserve the whites for the meringue)
- 1 large eggs
- ½ cup lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
Meringue
- 3 large egg whites
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ teaspoon cream of tartar
Instructions
Graham Cracker Crust
- Preheat 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 stir until evenly moistened.1 ½ cups graham cracker crumbs, about 10 full graham cracker sheets, ¼ cup granulated sugar, 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted, ⅛ teaspoon fine sea salt
- Press the crumbs into the bottom of the prepared pan. Bake for 10-12 minutes, until lightly golden.
- Cool the crust completely. Grease the sides of the pan with butter. Cut (2) 18 x18" pieces of heavy duty aluminum foil. Criss-cross the pieces so that they overlap, and tightly wrap the foil around the bottom and up to the edges of the pan. This size of foil is critical to make sure that the pieces aren't too short, which could allow leaking. Set aside.
Lemon Cheesecake
- In the bowl of the stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese on medium speed. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl, then beat for another minute, until smooth.5 cups cream cheese, room temperature (5 blocks)
- Beat in the sugar and salt, stopping to scrape down the bowl a few times while beating. Beat until completely smooth.1 ⅓ cups granulated sugar, ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
- Beat in the cream, lemon juice, lemon zest and vanilla. Beat on low until well combined, about a minute. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl with a spatula and mix for an additional minute.½ cup heavy cream, room temperature, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, 1 tablespoon lemon zest, 2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- Beat in the egg yolks, and eggs. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl with a spatula. Beat for an additional minute.5 large eggs, room temperature, 2 large egg yolks, room temperature
- Place the foiled wrapped springform pan into a roasting pan or a large cake pan a few inches larger in diameter than the springform pan.
- Prepare a pitcher of hot water.
- Pour the cheesecake mixture into the springform 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. Take care to not get water in the cheesecake.
- Bake the cheesecake until the cheesecake jiggles slightly, no longer appears wet and an instant read thermometer reads 150F, about 90 to 120 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, then transfer to the fridge to chill completely, about 6 hours.
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 and strongly fragrant.½ cup granulated sugar, 2 teaspoons lemon zest
- Add the eggs and egg yolks to the sugar mixture and whisk to combine.3 large egg yolks (reserve the whites for the meringue), 1 large eggs
- Whisk in the lemon juice.½ cup lemon juice
- Pour the mixture into a medium saucepan, and place over a medium low heat. Add the butter. Stir the mixture constantly as it cooks.2 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
- Cook the curd until thick and just beginning to bubble around the edges, or until an instant read thermometer reaches 170F. The curd will thicken more as it cools.
- Strain the curd into a bowl, and let it sit for 20 minutes. Place piece of plastic wrap over the surface to prevent the curd from forming a skin. Transfer to the fridge to chill and thicken for at least one hour.
Meringue
- In a mixing bowl whisk together the egg whites, sugar and cream of tartar.3 large egg whites, ½ cup granulated sugar, ¼ teaspoon cream of tartar
- Bring a saucepan with a few inches of water to a simmer. Set the mixer bowl over the simmering water, making sure the water does not touch the bottom of the bowl.
- Whisk the mixture continuously until the sugar has dissolved, or an instant read thermometer reads 160F. To test this, (carefully!), by dipping a finger into the mixture and rubbing it between your fingers—the mixture should be very warm and no longer have any grains of sugar.
- Transfer the bowl to a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, and beat on medium speed until the mixture is thick, glossy and has stiff peaks.
- Assemble the cheesecake. Top the cheesecake with lemon curd. Use an offset spatula to spread the curd evenly over the cheesecake.
- Top the cheesecake with the meringue. Use a kitchen torch to toast the meringue. Serve and enjoy!
Nutrition
Calories: 568kcalCarbohydrates: 46gProtein: 10gFat: 39gSaturated Fat: 22gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 11gTrans Fat: 0.3gCholesterol: 237mgSodium: 397mgPotassium: 189mgFiber: 0.4gSugar: 40gVitamin A: 1510IUVitamin C: 4mgCalcium: 108mgIron: 1mg
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