This lemon meringue cheesecake takes the fully crusted concept and gives it a bright, tangy twist. Instead of chocolate and caramel, you’ve got layers of torched meringue, silky homemade lemon curd, and a smooth white chocolate cheesecake filling, all completely encased in buttery Digestive biscuit crust. When you flip it and slice in, you get this stunning cross-section with that toasted meringue peeking through the middle. It’s basically lemon meringue pie and cheesecake combined into one dessert, and it tastes just as impressive as it looks!

Understanding Your Components

1. Double Biscuit Crust: Just like the other fully crusted desserts, you’re making both a base and a separate top disc from Digestive biscuits and butter, so the filling ends up completely sealed inside. Getting that “wet sand” texture right on both is key – press firmly and evenly so neither crust cracks when it’s time to unmould.
2. Homemade Lemon Curd: A proper stovetop curd made with fresh lemon juice, sugar, butter, and whole eggs, whisked continuously until thickened. Passing it through a sieve removes any bits of cooked egg and lemon zest, giving you that perfectly smooth, glossy curd. It needs to chill completely and set before layering – a warm or loose curd will bleed into the other layers instead of holding its own distinct band.
3. White Chocolate Cheesecake Filling: A no-bake filling made from cream cheese and Greek yogurt for tang, with melted white chocolate adding sweetness and body. Lemon zest and juice tie it back to the curd flavor while cutting through the richness. Whipped cream folded in gently keeps the texture light and mousse-like rather than dense.
4. Torched Meringue: This is what makes it feel like a true lemon meringue pie. The egg whites get gently heated over a double boiler to pasteurize them before whipping to stiff peaks, so it’s safe to eat without fully baking. Torching the meringue layer before it goes into the pie gives you that classic toasted, slightly caramelized flavor and appearance, even though it’s tucked inside the cheesecake rather than on top.

Tips!

Whisk the Curd Continuously: Don’t walk away while making the lemon curd – constant whisking over medium heat prevents the eggs from scrambling. It’s ready when it coats the back of a spoon.

Sieve the Curd: Passing it through a fine sieve is what gives you that silky, smooth texture with no lumps or bits of cooked egg. Don’t skip this step even though it feels like an extra dish to wash.

Chill Curd Completely: The curd needs to be fully cold and set before layering, just like the compote in the raspberry version. A warm curd will melt into the meringue and cheesecake layers instead of staying distinct.

Watch Your Meringue Temperature: Use a thermometer to hit exactly 70°C/160°F over the double boiler – this pasteurizes the egg whites so they’re safe to eat while still allowing them to whip up properly afterward.

Torch Evenly: Move the blow torch in small, consistent circles over the meringue layer for even browning. You want golden, toasted spots, not burnt patches or untouched white areas.

Form the Top Crust Carefully: Press it firmly and evenly on the parchment paper before chilling, since this piece needs to be lifted intact and placed as a lid over the finished filling.

Full Overnight Set: Give this at least 8 hours, ideally overnight, before attempting to unmould. Because you’re flipping it upside down, it needs to be completely set to hold together through that process.

Torch the Edges to Unmould: If it’s not releasing cleanly from the tin, a quick pass of the blow torch around the outside edges will loosen it without disturbing the layers inside.

Storage and Reheating Guide

• Lemon Curd Storage: Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week – it’s also great on toast or yogurt
• Fully Assembled Cheesecake: Cover and refrigerate for up to 4 days
• Freezing: Freeze the fully set cheesecake for up to 1 month. Note the meringue layer may lose a little texture after freezing. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before serving.
• Slicing Tips: Use a hot, clean knife between cuts for neat slices that clearly show the meringue and curd layers through the middle

Make ahead tips:

• Lemon Curd Ahead: Make up to 1 week in advance and store refrigerated – one less thing to worry about on assembly day
• Crusts Ahead: Press and chill both the base and top crust up to 1 day ahead, keeping them covered in the fridge until ready to assemble
• Build in Stages: Make the curd one day, the crusts the next, then assemble everything the day after – this spreads out the more involved steps
• Full Make-Ahead: Assemble the entire cheesecake up to 2 days before serving and keep refrigerated for the cleanest slices and most set layers
• Batch the Curd: Make a double batch of lemon curd since it keeps so well – use some for the cheesecake and save the rest for spreading on toast or swirling into yogurt

Ingredients

Biscuit Top:
250 g Digestive/Graham biscuits, crushed
90 g unsalted butter, melted

Biscuit Base:
500g Digestive/Graham biscuits, crushed
180 g unsalted butter, melted

Cheesecake Base:
350 g full-fat cream cheese, softened
130 g full-fat Greek yogurt
100 g good-quality white chocolate, melted and cooled
15 g caster sugar
1 lemon, zested only
1/2 lemon, juice
150 ml thickened/heavy cream, cold
15 g icing sugar

Lemon Curd:
180ml fresh lemon juice
100g sugar
113g unsalted butter, cubed
3 eggs
2 lemons, zest

Meringue:
4 large egg whites, room temperature
1.5g cream of tartar or 1 tsp lemon juice
170g white sugar
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 pinch of salt

Method – How to make Upside Down Lemon Meringue Cheesecake

1. Lemon Curd: In a small pot, add all the ingredients for the lemon curd. Turn the heat onto medium heat and whisk continuously until the mixture thickens and coats the back of a spoon. Take the mixture off the heat and pass it through a sieve. Place a piece of plastic wrap over the top of the curd to prevent a skin from forming and place the mixture into the fridge to chill completely.
2. Biscuit Top: Mix 250g of the Digestive/Graham biscuit crumbs with 90g of melted butter until it looks like wet sand. Place a piece of parchment paper on top of a chopping board and then place your cheesecake tin (without the tin base) onto the parchment paper and chopping board. Pour the biscuit mixture into the tin, spread and press down firmly until it forms a nice even round base. Carefully lift up the cheesecake tin to reveal the round pressed crust and place into the fridge to set.
3. Biscuit Base: Mix 500 g Digestive/Graham biscuits, crushed with 180 g unsalted butter, melted until it looks like wet sand. Press firmly into the base of a 23cm x 7cm springform tin. Chill while you make the filling.
4. Cheesecake Base: Beat full-fat cream cheese, full-fat Greek yogurt, caster sugar, lemon zest and juice together until smooth and fluffy, about 2 minutes. With the mixer on low, stream in the cooled melted chocolate and beat until fully combined and smooth. Whip the thickened/heavy cream, with icing sugar to medium peaks. Add the whipped cream into the cream cheese mixture and beat on low until combined.
5. Meringue: In a bowl, add in the white eggs and sugar and mix to combine. Bring a small pot of water to a rolling boil and place your bowl of egg whites over the pot (double boiler). Continue whisking your egg whites until the temperature reaches 70C/160F (this will pasteurise your egg whites and make it safe to consume). Take off the heat, add in the cream of tartar/lemon juice and whisk until stiff peaks. Add in the salt and vanilla extract and whisk to combine.
6. Assemble: Pour just enough meringue into your chilled biscuit base so that it’s just under half-filled, and smooth flat. Use a blow torch to toast your meringue. Spread the cold, set lemon curd evenly over the meringue layer, leaving a small border at the edge. Pour the cheesecake mixture to fill the remaining space and smooth the top. Place the biscuit top over the cheesecake mixture to close the pie and place the pie back into the fridge to set for at least 8 hours, ideally overnight, until fully set.
7. Serve: Place a chopping board/serving platter on top of the cheesecake and flip it upside down. Release the cheesecake from the springform tin. If you have difficulties unmoulding the pie, use a blow torch to lightly heat up the edges of the springform tin. Slice with a hot, clean knife between cuts for neat slices showing the caramel layer through the middle.