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–+ servings

Lemon Meringue Cheesecake

5 from 19 votes
Creamy cheesecake topped with fresh tangy lemon curd and torched sweet meringue.
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Prep Time1 hour
Cook Time1 hour
Chilling Time 9 hours
Total Time11 hours
Servings8 slices
Calories618 kcal

Ingredients 

Shortbread Crust

  • 42 g unsalted butter (3 tbsp.)
  • 60 g light brown sugar (¼ c. + 1 tbsp.)
  • 90 g all purpose flour (¾ c.)

Lemon Vanilla Cheesecake

  • 150 g granulated sugar (¾ c.)
  • 1 tbsp. cornstarch
  • zest of 2 large lemons
  • 452 g cream cheese room temperature (two 8-oz bricks)
  • 2 eggs room temperature
  • 110 g heavy whipping cream room temperature (½ c.)
  • 40 g fresh lemon juice (3 tbsp.)
  • 1 tbsp. vanilla bean paste

Lemon Curd*

  • 3 egg yolks
  • 100 g granulated sugar (½ c.)
  • 60 g lemon juice (¼ c.)
  • zest of 1 large lemon
  • ⅛ tsp. salt
  • 56 g unsalted butter cubed (¼ c.)

Swiss Meringue

  • 3 egg whites
  • 180 g granulated sugar (¾ c. + 2 tbsp.)
  • ¼ tsp. salt
  • 1 tsp. vanilla

Instructions 

Shortbread Crust

  • Preheat the oven to 350°F / 175°C. Line the bottom and sides of a 7" springform pan with parchment paper.
  • In a small mixing bowl, melt the butter. Add in the brown sugar and flour and mix until you have little clumps of dough.
  • Press the dough into the bottom of the springform pan, slightly pressing it ~1" up the sides as well, and bake for 10 minutes. In the meantime, start making the cheesecake filling.

Lemon Vanilla Cheesecake

  • Add the sugar and cornstarch to a medium sized mixing bowl, or to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment.
  • Zest the lemon into the sugar, then use your fingers to rub the zest into the sugar (this will get you more flavor!)
  • Add in the cream cheese and beat the mixture until the cream cheese is completely smooth and free of lumps.
  • Add the two eggs into the bowl, and beat the mixture on low speed *just* until the eggs have been fully incorporated.
  • Add in the heavy cream, lemon juice, and vanilla bean paste. Again, beat the mixture on low speed just until cohesive.
  • Pour the cheesecake filling over the crust, then tap the pan on the counter a few times to help remove air from the batter.
  • Fill a 10" cake pan, or any larger pan that can reasonably fit the 7" springform pan inside of it, a third of the way with hot water. Wrap tinfoil around the sides and bottom of your springform pan to help avoid the possibility of water seeping into it.
  • Place the springform pan into the larger pan, then place the whole thing into the oven. Bake for 60-70 minutes, or until the cheesecake only slightly wobbles and reaches an internal temperature of at least 155°F / 68°C.** If the cheesecake starts to brown on top, gently place a piece of tinfoil over the top of the pan for the rest of the baking time.
  • Once the cheesecake is fully cooked, turn off the oven and leave the door slightly ajar with the cheesecake in it for 1 hr. Once the hour has passed, cover the cheesecake and place it in the fridge to set overnight (at least 8 hours.)

Lemon Curd

  • Add the egg yolks, sugar, lemon juice, lemon zest, and salt to a small saucepan.
  • Whisk the mixture vigorously over medium heat until it thickens, and reaches at least 170°F / 76°C. (This took me about 3-5 minutes)
  • Remove the curd from the heat and pass it through a fine mesh sieve to remove the zest and any accidental cooked egg.
  • Immediately whisk in the cubed butter until it melts and the mixture is completely smooth.
  • Transfer the lemon curd to an airtight container and store it in the fridge until you're ready to assemble the cheesecake.

Swiss Meringue

  • Once your ready to serve the cheesecake, make the meringue. First, wipe down the bowl of your stand mixer with lemon juice - this will help get rid of any fats that may be present, which would interfere with your meringue.
  • Add the egg whites and sugar to a medium sized saute pan set over medium heat. Constantly whisk the mixture until it reaches at least 170°F / 76°C.
  • Transfer the mixture to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment (alternatively you can use a hand mixer, it will just take longer).
  • Beat the mixture until soft peaks form, then add in the vanilla and salt. Continue to beat the mixture until stiff peaks form.
  • Top the cheesecake with a thick layer of lemon curd, then dollop on the meringue and carefully spread it around.
  • Use a kitchen torch to torch the meringue, then slice, serve, and enjoy!

Notes

*This will be more lemon curd than you need for the cheesecake. You can keep the extra lemon curd stored in the fridge for 1 week, or you can freeze it to use on your next lemon meringue cheesecake ☺︎
**Every oven and pan is different. If your cheesecake does not look done around 70 minutes and is not reaching an internal temperature of 170F/76C, continue baking it until it does.
Affiliate links: 7-inch Springform Pan | Kitchen Scale (my favorite) | Kitchen scale (great starter option) | Oven Thermometer | Cordless Hand Mixer | Stand Mixer

Nutrition

Serving: 1sliceCalories: 618kcalCarbohydrates: 69gProtein: 9gFat: 35gSaturated Fat: 20gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 9gTrans Fat: 0.3gCholesterol: 181mgSodium: 358mgPotassium: 166mgFiber: 1gSugar: 55gVitamin A: 1305IUVitamin C: 4mgCalcium: 88mgIron: 1mg