Lemon Meringue Cheesecake

By Lorena_321

Ingredients

• Crust:
• 2 1/4 C graham cracker crumbs
• 10 T salted butter, melted
• 3 T sugar
• Cheesecake Fillilng:
• 24 oz. cream cheese, room temp
• 1 C sugar
• 3 T AP flour
• 1 C sour cream, room temp
• 1 1/2 T vanilla extract
• 1 T grated lemon zest (2-3 med lemons)
• 4 large eggs, room temp
• Lemon Topping:
• 8 T lemon juice (3-4 med lemons)
• 4 t grated lemon zest
• 1/2 C sugar
• 8 large egg yolks
• 1/4 C salted butter
• Meringue Topping:
• 1 C sugar
• 1/2 t cream of tartar
• 1 t vanilla extract
• 4 large egg whites

Details

Preparation time 60mins
Cooking time 120mins

Preparation

Step 1

Crust:
1. Preheat oven to 325. Line a 9-inch springform pan with parchment paper on bottom and grease sides.
2. Combine crust ingredients in a small bowl. Press the mixture into bottom and up sides of pan.
3. Bake crust for 10 minutes, then set aside to cool.
4. Cover outsides of pan with aluminum foil so that water from the water bath cannot get in. Set pan aside.
Cheesecake:
5. Reduce oven temp to 300.
6. In a large bowl, beat cream cheese, sugar and flour on low speed until well combined and smooth. Be sure to use low speed to reduce the amount of air added to the batter, which can cause cracks. Scrape down sides of bowl.
7. Add the sour cream, vanilla and lemon zest and mix on low speed until well combined.
8. Add eggs one at a time, mixing slowly to combine after each addition. Scrape down sides of bowl as needed to make sure everything is combined.
9. Pour cheesecake batter into crust.
10. Place pan inside a larger pan. Fill outside pan with enough warm water to go about halfway up sides of springform pan. The water should not go above the top edge of the aluminum foil on the springform pan.
11. Bake for 1 hour 15 minutes. The center should be set, but still jiggly.
12. Turn off the oven and leave the door closed for 30 minutes. The cheesecake will continue to cook, but slowly begin to cool, as well.
13. Crack the door of the oven for 30 minutes to allow cheesecake to continue to cool slowly. This process helps prevent cracking.
14. Remove the cheesecake from the oven and water bath wrapping and place the cheesecake in the refrigerator while you make the lemon curd.
Lemon Curd:
15. To make the lemon curd, combine all ingredients in a double boiler. Heat while whisking constantly until mixture thickens and reaches 170-180 degrees. You'll notice it has already started to thicken nicely and it'll continue to thicken quickly.
16. Add the lemon curd to the top of the cheesecake quickly, before it cools and thickens.
17. Place the cheesecake back in the fridge until completely cool and firm, 5-6 hours.
Meringue Topping:
18. To make the meringue, combine the sugar, cream of tartar, vanilla extract and egg whites in a large mixer bowl. Place the bowl over a saucepan or pot of simmering water. You can also use a double boiler.
19. Whisk constantly until sugar is dissolved and egg whites are warm, to between 120 and 140 degrees on a thermometer, about 4-6 minutes. Remove from heat.
20. Using the whisk attachment, beat the egg white mixture on low speed, gradually increasing to high, until stiff, glossy peaks form, 5 to 7 minutes.
21. Add the meringue to the top of cheesecake in a light dome shape.
22. Use a kitchen torch to toast the outside of the meringue.
23. Refrigerate until ready to serve. Best eaten within 3-4 days.