lemon meringue cheesecake slice with lemon curd

Triple Lemon Cheesecake With Meringue Topping

Published on May 4, 2018 | In American | By tatyanaseverydayfood |

- Prep Time
- 40 Minutes
- Cook Time
- 90 Minutes
- Difficulty Level

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The ultimate cheesecake for anyone who loves lemons! My triple lemon cheesecake with torched meringue topping is a lemon dream come true! A truly decadent dessert, this cheesecake is so light and fluffy, it feels and tastes like a lemon cloud!

I make this cheesecake with a lemon shortbread crust, which is the first part of the ‘triple’ lemon cheesecake! Next, comes the fluffy lemon cheesecake, flavored with tons of fresh lemon zest. Lemon zest is actually one of my favorite ingredients to add to both sweet and savory dishes. The aroma of the zest is out of this world, transforming any dish! And for the final third part, I load this cheesecake up with home-made lemon curd. If you’ve never had home-made lemon curd, you absolutely have to try it! It’s super creamy, lemony and simply a must for any lemon dessert. This recipe yields some extra lemon curd that you can serve on the side with the cheesecake.
Watch my video recipe for all the sweet, lemony details!

This cheesecake goes from a regular cheesecake to over-the-top with the torched meringue topping. This topping is super light and fluffy and doesn’t add any weight at all to the cake. It’s like a little cloud sitting on top, garnishing the cake! I bake the meringue first, then torch it to add more color and a caramelized flavor.

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Love all things sweet and zesty? Try my decadent ‘Lime Blackberry Cake’ next! You’ll love the combination of flavors! https://tatyanaseverydayfood.com/recipe-items/blackberry-lime-cake/

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Ingredients

1 1/2 cups (130 g) lemon shortbread cookie crumbs
1/3 cup (75 g) butter, melted
32 oz (4 packages; 907 g) cream cheese, softened
1 cup (245 g) sour cream, or heavy cream
1 cup (200 g) white granulated sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
4 large eggs
zest from 2 large lemons
For Lemon Curd:
2 eggs, plus 4 egg yolks
1 cup (200 g) white granulated sugar
2/3 cup (160 ml) freshly-squeezed lemon juice
1 tbsp cornstarch
2 tbsp (30 ml) water
For Meringue:
4 egg whites
1 tsp cream of tartar
1 tsp vanilla extract
3/4 cup (150 g) white granulated sugar

Instructions

Prepare the lemon curd first, allowing it to cool before using. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs, egg yolks (save the whites for the meringue!) and sugar vigorously for 4 to 5 minutes, until thick and pale. Strain the lemon juice of any pulp and seeds, then add to the mix. Combine the cornstarch and water in a small ramekin, then add the slurry to the mixing bowl.
Pour the mixture into a medium-sized saucepan. Cook the lemon curd over medium heat, stirring constantly with a rubber spatula. Cook for 4 to 6 minutes, until the curd thickens and holds its shape on the back of a spoon. If any clumps form, use a whisk to break them apart. Remove the curd from heat once it's thicken, cover and cool.
Meanwhile, prepare the crust and cheesecake filling. Preheat the oven to 350F/177C and prepare an 8-inch (20-cm) springform pan by double wrapping the bottom and sides of the pan with foil.
For the crust, place approximately 15 to 20 cookies (depends on size) into a food processor and pulse until fine crumbs form; you'll need about 1 1/2 cups of cookie crumbs. Add the melted butter and pulse again until the crumbs are coated. Transfer the crumbs into the prepared pan and use a large spoon or potato masher to press the crumbs until the bottom of the pan, forming an even crust. Bake the crust in the preheated oven for 10 minutes, then remove and cool.
For the cheesecake filling, place the cream cheese into a stand mixer bowl. Mix on medium-high speed for 7 to 9 minutes, scraping down the sides of the mixing bowl often, until the cream cheese is light and fluffy. Add the sour cream or heavy cream, if desired; sugar, and vanilla. Mix again for a few minutes, then add the eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Scrape down the sides of the mixing bowl often to ensure a smooth batter.
Zest 2 large lemons into the batter, then mix in the zest. To assemble the cake, first pour half of the cheesecake batter over the crust, then add generous dollops of the lemon curd on top. Swirl the curd into the batter using a knife or spoon, then add the remaining cheesecake batter over the top. Repeat the same process with the lemon curd, adding it on top.
Reduce the oven temperature down to 320F/160C. Transfer the cheesecake into a deep baking dish or roasting pan and prepare a water bath. Pour in enough water to cover 1-inch of the pan. Bake the cake at 320F for 1 hour and 30 to 45 minutes, until the center is almost set but still slight wobbly. Turn the oven off and allow the cheesecake to cool in the oven with the oven door cracked open a few inches.
Next, prepare the meringue topping, place the reserved egg whites into a super clean mixing bowl - I wash mine with degreasing soap and vinegar. To the egg whites, add the cream of tartar and vanilla extract. Begin whisking the eggs on medium speed and slowly add into the sugar. Once all the sugar is added, continue whisking the eggs whites on high speed for 4 to 6 minutes, until stiff and glossy peaks form.
Transfer the meringue onto the baked cheesecake, using a spoon to create dips and scollops. Bake the cake again, this time at 350F, for 15 minutes. Remove the cake from the oven and use a kitchen torch to add more color to the meringue, if desired. The meringue can be baked for longer for more color, up to 20 to 22 minutes.
Allow the cheesecake to cool at room temperature for an hour, then transfer into the refrigerator to set overnight. Remove the cheesecake from the spring form pan and serve. Pro tip: use a kitchen torch and heat the sides of the pan to release the cake from the sides, creating a smooth finish. Serve each slice with addition lemon curd on the side, if desired.

Servings : 8-12
Course : Dessert
Recipe Type : Cakes, Cheesecakes, Video

12 Responses to Triple Lemon Cheesecake With Meringue Topping

Yuliia April 20, 2018 at 6:40 am #

I like this cake! Will try to make one this weekend 😍

Reply
- tatyanaseverydayfood April 20, 2018 at 11:36 am #
  
  Enjoy! It’s so good! 🙂
  
  Reply
Kathie S April 25, 2018 at 2:07 pm #

You make the Ultimate Cheescakes!! They are so incredible and I get compliments all the time! (Which I always give you the due credit💋) excited for the latest giveaway!

Reply
- tatyanaseverydayfood April 26, 2018 at 3:31 pm #
  
  Aww, thank you!! Cheesecakes are so fun to make and I love experimenting with different layers and flavors! :))
  
  Reply
Saira April 26, 2018 at 10:51 am #

Omg i loved it, thank you for the recepie Tatyana!! 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻

Reply
- tatyanaseverydayfood April 26, 2018 at 3:10 pm #
  
  I’m so glad you enjoyed it! :))
  
  Reply
Nayla Ulmann May 3, 2018 at 12:20 pm #

Not sure if we will share it!! Amazing!!! Soooo delicious!!! I encourage all lemon meringue pie lovers to try this cheesecake!! My husband and I already ate half of it and couldn’t wait overnight to let it set 😁!!! Thank you Tatiana for sharing! Btw already tried some other recipes and are all amazing!!

Reply
- tatyanaseverydayfood May 7, 2018 at 6:36 pm #
  
  Awesome!! So glad you enjoyed this recipe! :))
  
  Reply
Ina August 13, 2018 at 10:54 pm #

If I want to substitute the crust with vanilla sponge cake, should I bake the sponge cake separately or I can just bake them together?

Reply
- tatyanaseverydayfood August 14, 2018 at 9:44 am #
  
  Yes, you will need to bake it separately.
  
  Reply
Ella November 23, 2018 at 8:31 pm #

I just made this cheesecake for Thanksgiving and it was a hit!! I’ve never been a huge fan of meringue so I swapped that out for some blackberry whipped cream (using your stabilized whipped cream recipe lol) and it tasted amazing! It wasn’t too lemon-y at all, and it was the perfect dessert for after such a big meal. This is the third cheesecake recipe of yours that I’ve made and like the others, it did not fail me! Thank you so much! 🙂

Reply
- tatyanaseverydayfood November 24, 2018 at 11:19 am #
  
  I’m so glad that the cake was a hit! And I love the idea with the whipped cream – sounds so good! 🙂
  
  Reply