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–+ servings
My lemon meringue cheesecake is a showstopping and summery dessert, perfect for entertaining with a bit of pizzazz! With lots of zingy lemon flavour throughout, this stunning dessert is sure to win a few hearts! Recipe by movers and bakers
5 from 1 vote

Lemon Meringue Cheesecake (No Bake)

My no-bake lemon meringue cheesecake is the ultimate summer showstopper. Featuring a buttery digestive biscuit base, a zesty condensed milk filling, and a swirl of toasted Swiss meringue, this easy cheesecake recipe delivers all the flavour of a classic lemon meringue pie with zero oven time.
Servings 16 servings
Prep Time 40 minutes
Chill Time 8 hours
Total Time 8 hours 40 minutes

Ingredients

For the biscuit base

  • 220 g (2 cups) digestive biscuits
  • 100 g (¼ cup + 3 tbsp) unsalted butter

For the cheesecake filling

  • 450 g (2 cups) full fat cream cheese
  • 397 g (14 oz) condensed milk
  • 2 large lemons, zest and juice
  • 150 ml (½ cup + 2 tbsp) double (heavy) cream)

For the topping

  • 175 g (½ cup + 1 tbsp) lemon curd
  • 2 large egg whites
  • 80 g (¼ cup + 2 tbsp) caster sugar
  • 0.25 tsp cream of tartar
  • pinch salt

Instructions

For the biscuit base

  • Place the biscuits into a food processor and blitz until the biscuits are completely crumbled. If you do not have a food processor, pop the biscuits into a sealable bag and bash them with a rolling pin until well crushed. Both work fine, one is definitely more therapeutic (!), but I prefer using a food processor purely for speed.
  • Melt the butter, then mix through the crushed biscuits, scraping down the bowl to make sure everything is really well combined. Tip the mixture into an 8" springform tin and press down evenly to make a flat base. Pop the tin in the fridge to allow the base to chill until needed.

How to make the cheesecake filling

  • In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese briefly to smooth out any lumps.
  • Pour in all the condensed milk. Beat everything together until fully combined and smooth.
  • Zest both lemons directly over the mixing bowl, then squeeze in the juice of both lemons. Beat the mixture until just combined and starting to thicken.
  • In a separate bowl, whip up the cream until it reaches stiff peaks. Fold the whipped cream into the lemon mixture until fully mixed through. Spoon the cheesecake mixture over the chilled biscuit base then chill for at least 4 hours or overnight.

How to make the meringue topping

  • Tip the egg whites, caster sugar and cream of tartar in a large heatproof bowl and whisk together briefly. Place this bowl over a small pan of simmering water to make a bain-marie, then heat the mixture whilst whisking continuously. Using a food thermometer, keep heating and whisking until the egg white mixture reaches 65C/150F. The mixture will be white and fluffy and feel smooth when a little is rubbed between your fingers (the sugar should have dissolved). This should take about 10 minutes.
  • Remove the bowl from the heat, add in the salt and whisk until light and stiff peaks form when you lift the whisk. This should take about 7-8 minutes. The meringue is ready to be used!

Assembling the cheesecake

  • Remove the cheesecake from the tin and place it on a serving plate or cake stand. Top with the lemon curd, spreading it out evenly almost to the edges of the cheesecake.
  • Spoon or pipe the meringue over the top of the curd, but make sure not to entirely cover either cheesecake or curd with the meringue. Swirl or rough up the top to give the meringue some texture.
  • Using a blow torch, lightly swirl around the top of the meringue until it toasts and browns all over. Be careful, it can catch and burn easily! Once the top has been evenly browned, it's ready to serve. Enjoy!

Notes

  • Press the biscuit base really firmly into the bottom of the pan to give a firm base for the filling. Use something flat like a glass to press down firmly and evenly.
  • You can bake the base if you wish. Doing this makes it firmer and less crumbly. Once pressed into the tin, bake the crust for about 8 minutes at 180C/350F. Make sure the base and tin are fully cool before topping with the lemon meringue cheesecake with lemon curd filling, or you will end up with a melted cheesecake puddle!
  • Use cream cheese at room temperature. This will ensure the cheesecake filling is smooth and creamy.
  • Once the cheesecake filling has been mixed, it may appear a little looser than most other no bake cheesecakes. This is EXACTLY how it is meant to be! It will thicken and firm up during chilling, I promise!
  • When spreading the lemon curd over the cheesecake, ease it near but not completely to the edges.
  • Remember to whisk the egg whites constantly whilst heating, or you may end up with sweetened scrambled egg whites!
  • I would highly recommend using a food thermometer when making the meringue to help you achieve the correct temperature. So much easier and far less stressful than trying to guess!
  • To check that the sugar has dissolved in the meringue mixture, rub a little bit of it between your fingers. It should feel silky smooth and not grainy.
  • I spread the meringue over the lemon curd with an offset spatula, but you could definitely piped it too if you wanted to. Blobs, swirls, different tips or just spread with a spatula, all work and will give you different patterns to the finished cheesecake once torched!
  • When torching the meringue, keep the flame further away to prevent burning the topping. Meringue catches super easily, so it is definitely better to take a little longer and get a lovely toasted colour rather than burning the meringue!
    • Author: Andrea
    Calories: 392kcal
    Course: Dessert
    Cuisine: American, British
    Keyword: Condensed Milk Cheesecake, Lemon Meringue Cheesecake, Lemon Meringue Pie Mashup, No-Bake Cheesecake, No-Bake Dessert, Swiss Meringue

    Nutrition

    Calories: 392kcal