How To Bake A Cheesecake Lemon Meringue Pie

Desserts are truly magical, with all their textures and flavors. A smooth cheesecake, coupled with lemon zestiness, topped by fluffy meringue like cotton candy, and now you have a treat worth indulging in! Of course, such a dessert is fancy enough to be something that only the bakery has, but the good news is, you can make a cheesecake lemon meringue pie at home after a few easy steps.

Imagine biting into a dessert where the creamy cheesecake layer melts in your mouth, the tangy lemon curd adds a burst of freshness, and the meringue on top is light, airy, and perfectly toasted. That is a dessert with it all-the texture, the flavors, and just the right balance of sweet and tart. You and your guests will love it, sure enough, whether baked for that special occasion or as a treat for an evening.

Well, are you ready to try? Let's jump into this lovely recipe and make a cheesecake lemon meringue pie as beautiful as it's delicious!

Ingredients:

For the Crust:

• 1 ½ cups digestive biscuit crumbs (or graham cracker crumbs)
• ¼ cup melted butter
• 2 tablespoons sugar

For the Cheesecake Layer:

• 250g cream cheese, softened
• ½ cup sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For the Lemon Curd:

• ½ cup fresh lemon juice (about 2-3 lemons)
• 2 teaspoons lemon zest
• ½ cup sugar
• 3 large egg yolks
• ¼ cup unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

For the Meringue:

• 3 large egg whites
• ¼ teaspoon cream of tartar (optional but helpful for stability)
• ½ cup sugar

Method:

Prepare the Crust:

• Preheat your oven to 180°C (350°F). Put the crushed biscuits, melted butter, and sugar in a mixing bowl. Press this mixture to the bottom of a 9-inch pie dish or springform pan.
• Bake the crust for about 8-10 minutes or until it turns a bit golden then allow it to cool.

Cheesecake Layer:

• Put the softened cream cheese and sugar in a mixing bowl and beat them until smooth and creamy. Add an egg, then the vanilla extract, and mix well. Pour this cheesecake mixture over the cooled crust and smooth it out with a spatula.
• Bake at 180°C (350°F) for about 15 minutes or until the edges seem set but the center remains jiggly.
• Let the cheesecake layer cool.

Make the Lemon Curd:

• Combine all lemon juice, lemon zest, sugar, and egg yolks in a saucepan. Place the saucepan over medium heat, stirring constantly until it thickens and brings to a boil (5-7 minutes). Do not boil. When it is thickened remove from heat and stir in butter until melted and smooth.
• Spread lemon curd over the cooled cheesecake layer. Leave the pie in fridge while you make the meringue.

Prepare the Meringue:

• In a clean, dry bowl, beat the egg whites with the cream of tartar on medium until soft peaks form. Gradually add sugar to the bowl and continue beating until stiff, glossy peaks form. Just spoon over the lemon curd layer, creating swirls or peaks with a spoon.
• Bake to Toast the Meringue
• Preheat oven to 180°C (350°F) and bake for 8-10 minutes, or until meringue is lightly golden on top. Let it cool then chill for at least 2 hours to before you serve.

Things to Know when Baking Meringue

Clean Dry Bowl: Any Grease or Moisture Prevents Your Meringue from Reaching the Right Consistency. Make sure your bowl and beaters are squeaky clean and dry.

Separate the eggs: Even a tiny bit of yolk in your whites can prevent the meringue from whipping properly. Crack and separate the eggs one at a time, and tuck away those yolks in the fridge for another recipe or your lemon curd!

Gradually Add Sugar: If you add sugar too quickly, the meringue will look gritty. Instead, add it gradually, spoon by spoon, so it has time to dissolve and stabilize your meringue for a glossy finish.

Low-Heat Bake: Avoid the meringue to shrink or weep by baking at a moderate temperature until it is just golden on top.

Tips For Perfection

Use the Correct Pan: A springform pan is ideal to easily release the pie without disturbing the layers. For this recipe, a 9-inch pan will work perfectly.

Chill Between Layers: For a clean cut and well-defined layers, let each layer cool before adding the next. This is very necessary in between the cheesecake and lemon curd layers.

Adjust the Lemon: If you prefer extra tart, just add a bit more lemon zest. If you want a milder lemon flavor, just reduce the lemon juice a little bit.

Closely watch the Meringue: That meringue will brown quickly, so don't take your eyes off of it. When it's a pretty golden brown, you'll need to remove it from the oven before it gets too dark.

Serve Chilled: This pie is fantastic at room temperature, but chill for an hour or two and the layers will actually set up. It looks lovely too.