Cheesecakes are one of my all time favourite cakes, that perfect balance of creaminess, sourness and crunch while not being overly sweet - gets me every time.
I was always a stalwart for the baked Geman kind that I grew up with, made with quark and custard, and baked until brown and rustic on top. Quark can be so hard to find, and I must say that I am equally a fan of this Philadelphia based cheese one, which is balanced by the tartness of lemon.
It’s inspired by a lemon coconut cheesecake by Michelle Polzine - her baking at the 20th Century Cafe book is so amazing !
An unashamedly grand version of a cheesecake with its lemon and meringue crown, and I’ve made a base that stays nice and crunchy.
Dehydrated lemon (and any citrus for that matter) slices are so pretty - like stained glass. Make them in advance, store in a jar and you have instant decorations or a little zing to add in some tea. I’m lucky enough to have a @cuisinart dehydrator so it’s as simple as slicing and laying on a rack to dry. It would also work in a very low oven on a rack though.

Ingredients

For the base:

150g plain flour
45g caster sugar
75g unsalted butter
pinch salt
1/2 teaspoon vanilla essence
1 tablespoon iced water

For the cheesecake filling:

750g Philadelphia cream cheese
250ml sour cream
175g caster sugar
Zest of two organic lemons
3 eggs
3 egg yolks
50ml lemon juice
1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste

For the Meringue:

3 egg whites
150g caster sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla essence.

Dehydrated lemon slices to decorate

To bake the cheesecake

Start with the base -

In a food processor, blitz together the flour, sugar and salt briefly.
Cut the butter into cubes and add to the flour along with the vanilla.
Blitz again until mixture looks like coarse breadcrumbs.
Add the iced water and blitz in bursts until the dough comes together in a ball, being careful not to over process the mixture.
Flatten the dough ball and wrap in plastic film or silicon/ beeswax wrap. Chill in the fridge for at least half an hour.
Turn on the oven to 180 deg C (fan forced)
Grease a 23cm springform tin and line the sides with baking paper.
After chilling, roll out the dough to line the base of the springform tin, pressing the edges a little up the sides.
Chill again for 30 mins, prick the base all over with a fork, then bake the base until browned. This will take around 15-20 minutes.
Allow to cool while you prepare the filling.

Turn the oven down to 150 degrees C - fan forced.

For the filling:

Have all the ingredients at room temperature.
In the bowl of a stand mixer, mix the cream cheese and sour cream until smooth. Add the sugar, zest and vanilla and mix again, followed by the egg yolks, eggs and juice. Mix in between each addition to keep the mixture smooth, but if it is still lumpy, use a whisk to gently beat until there are no lumps remaining.
Pour the mixture onto the cooled base and smooth the top, giving a gentle jiggle to help the mixture to level.
Place the cheesecake inside a large oven bag and sit it in a baking pan in the oven. Make sure the bag doesn’t sit on top of the cheesecake mixture. The aim is for it to help stop any water seeping into the bottom of the tin. Fill the baking pan with enough hot water to reach half way up the sides of the tin. (ie make a bain-marie)
Bake for 55-60 minutes, aiming for the cheesecake to be just set but no longer runny.
Cool the cheesecake in the bain-marie, before chilling to set. (this is best set overnight, but will set over the course of the day if you bake it in the morning)
Remove the cheesecake from the tin, using a knife around the edges if needed and peeling away the paper gently.

For the meringue:

Prepare just before serving

Place the egg whites and sugar in clean metal or glass bowl placed over a pot of hot water on the stove. Be careful not to let the water boil, and stir the mixture until it reaches 60 degrees C on a sugar thermometer.
Transfer the mixture to the large mixing bowl of a stand mixer, and whisk on medium to high speed until thick and stiff and cooled. Beat in the vanilla. (make sure the bowl and whisk is clean and dry, wiping out with a little vinegar or lemon juice before using)
Use a spatula to spread a layer of meringue over the top of the cheesecake, then spoon the rest into a large piping bag fitted with a fluted nozzle.
Pipe the rest of the meringue decoratively on top of the cheesecake.
Use a chef’s torch to brown the meringue and top with dried lemon slices.

This cheesecake is best served at room temperature.