LEMON MERINGUE CHEESECAKE

Recipe: Elmarie Dreyer

Yield: 8-12 Prep Time: 0 Cook Time: 4 hrs Difficulty: Challenging

Ingredients:

Biscuit Base · 200g (½ pack) McVities Original Digestives · 80g unsalted butter · 12-15 Sponge Finger Biscuits (cut in halve)

Lemon Cheesecake · 250g regular cream cheese (room temperature) · 397g sweetened condensed milk · 300ml whipping cream · 1 /3 cup fresh lemon juice (4 lemons)

· 3 tsp gelatine powder · 60ml hot water

Lemon Curd · ¾ cup full cream milk · ½ cup caster sugar · 40g butter · 2 tbsp corn flour · 1 /3 cup fresh lemon juice (4 lemons) · 1 tbsp lemon rind (finely grated ) · 3 egg yolks · 1 tsp gelatine powder · 20ml hot water

Italian Meringue · ¾ cup caster sugar · Pinch of Cream of Tartar · ¼ cup water · 3 egg whites

Method:

Biscuit Base

1 . Line the base of a spring form cake tin with baking paper. 2. Place the digestive biscuits in a food processor and blitz until fine crumbs form. 3. Melt the butter and add to the biscuit crumbs. Mix well . 4. Place the mixture in the cake tin and press firmly with a spatula or spoon until even and smooth. 5. Place in refrigerator for 30 mins.

Lemon Cheesecake

6. Mix the cream cheese in a stand mixer at low speed until smooth. 7. Add the condensed milk and mix until well blended. 8. Add the lemon juice. 9. Whip the cream until stiff peaks form and add to the cream cheese mixture. 10. Mix the 3 tbsp of gelatine powder with the 60ml hot water and stir until dissolved. 11 . Add the gelatine mixture slowly to the cream cheese mixture with the machine running at a medium speed (3). 12. Place the cut sponge finger biscuits (with the caster sugar side to the outside) around the edge of the cake tin. 13. Pour about 1 /3 of the cream cheese mixture into the cake tin, position and secure the sponge finger biscuits. 14. Add the remaining mixture, level and smooth on top. 15. Place in the refrigerator for 90 mins.

Lemon Curd

16. Start making the lemon curd 60-75 mins after the cheesecake mixture went into the refrigerator. 17. Add ½ cup of the milk and the caster sugar to a saucepan. Heat until the sugar is melted. Bring to the boil and turn down to medium heat. 18. Mix the corn flour with the remaining ¼ cup milk and add to the warm milk/sugar mixture while continuously stirring with a whisk. 19. Add the butter and stir until melted. 20. Add the egg yolks, lemon juice and lemon rind. Mix over low heat until it starts to thicken. 21 . Dissolve the 1 tsp of gelatine powder in the 20ml of hot water and add to the lemon curd mixture. 22. Remove from stove top and leave to cool down (do not allow to set). 23. Remove the cake tin from the refrigerator and pour the lemon curd on top of the cheesecake layer. Smooth the top with a spatula. 24. Put back in the refrigerator for 2 hours to set. Italian Meringue

20. Place the caster sugar and water in a small saucepan. Heat until sugar has dissolved. 21 . Whisk the egg whites and Cream of Tartar in the meantime until soft peaks form. 22. Bring the sugar mix to the boil until the “soft ball” stage (110 degrees Celcius). Remove from the heat. 23. Slowly add the sugar mixture to the egg whites with the mixer at medium speed. 24. Keep mixing for 5-10 mins until silky and smooth. 25. Remove the cake from the tin. 26. Pour the meringue mixture on top of the layers in the cake tin. Shape as needed with a spatula or spoon. 27. Brown with a chef’s torch as desired.