small batch recipe
This is my version of Bomb Alaska for the winter. The burned meringue is hiding a creamy baked cheesecake and a layer of luscious homemade lemon curd. This dessert strikes the perfect balance of flavors and textures!
The main element of this dessert is the cheesecake which is an all season dessert for me. I love to top the cheesecake with seasonal fruits or berries. Sometimes I like to have it plain or with maple syrup. But my latest addiction is lemon curd. I love how the lemon curd cuts through the creamy richness of the cheesecake. So I decided to use the combination for this dessert.
Cheesecake needless to say is creamy and cheesy which is very neutral so you can pair it with other flavors as you wish. This is a simple cheesecake with just cream cheese, eggs and sugar. But I have made the biscuit base a little bit thicker than I usually would. Because I needed a lot of crunch to balance out all the soft textures piled on top of each other. And an extra pinch of salt in the biscuit crumb, which will enhance it’s flavor even more.
Italian meringue
You can find my Italian meringue recipes on the blog. The Italian meringue, even though made out of a lot of sugar, is not overly sweet in this recipe. Instead it balances out rich creaminess and the tanginess.
The meringue recipe makes about a two cups which is a little too much for this dessert unless you are making a whole cheesecake. But the leftover can be used to make meringue kisses or bird nests. You will find more about this on the Italian meringue post.
Lemon curd
You can find my lemon curd recipe on the blog too. It is a fool proof recipe that has never failed me.
Always use freshly squeezed lemon juice for best results when making lemon curd. And you can make lemon curd ahead of time. They keep well in the refrigerator for up to a week or more if you bottle it properly. I always have a jar or two of lemon curd in my fridge. I think it is a good way to use up lemons when they are in abundance.
Lemon curd need to be set (jam like) for this recipe, so plan ahead and make some before hand!
How to serve
This dessert is best eaten on the same day of making as the meringue will not last long and cannot be refrigerated. This is why I make a small cheesecake or individual cakes (small batch again) and that way I don’t have to store them for longer.
Add the meringue just before serving or a few hours before the serving time and leave in a cool place (do not refrigerate)
Perfect for a group of 4 – 6 people. For a larger group, you can double this recipe without a problem.
Use digestive biscuits or use store bought pre crushed crumb. Mix with melted butter create the base.
Taste the crumb and add more sugar or salt.
Press the crumbs to create a base. If you don’t have a 6 hole tray use a 12 hole tray. Make sure to fill the empty holes with some water when baking for equal heat distribution.
Fill the cases with cheese mixture. You can fill it almost to the top. Avoid overflowing.
bake the cheesecake until just set. If you overbake, the tops will split.
The center should be slightly wobbly when you take them out of the oven. the centers will set as the cakes cool.
Wait until they are completely cooled to decorate.
Lemon curd should be made ahead and refrigerated to set.
Spread lemon curd on top. You can place them in a air-tight container and refrigerate at this stage. So you can pull them out and add meringue just before serving.
Cover the top with a generous amount of meringue. Either pipe or spoon.
Burn the meringue using a blow torch and serve!
Try this out when you want to impress your guests. It will definitely be a show stopper !
Ingredients
For the cheesecake base
- 8-6 Digestive biscuits crushed (1/2 cup)
- 1 tsp sugar
- 3 tbsp. melted salted butter
For the cheesecake
- 225 g cream cheese (1 block)
- 1 large egg or two small
- 1/4 cup cream
- 1/4 cup of icing sugar (sifted)
For topping
Instructions
- Make the lemon curd ahead of time and refrigerate to set
- Preheat oven to 160 ºC
- Line a 6 hole cupcake tray with cupcake liners
- Melt the butter and let cool down
- Place digestive biscuits in a food processor and process until fine. (or place the biscuits in a plastic bag and beat with a rolling pin)
- Add sugar and process to combine
- Add melted butter and process until crumbs form
- Drop about a 1- 11/2 table spoons of crumb mixture in each cupcake liner. Press firmly to form a base.
- In a bowl of a stand mixer, fitted with paddle attachment, cream the cream cheese until soft. Or use a food processor.
- Add the icing sugar and continue to mix
- Add the cream and blend
- Finally add the egg and mix until just incorporated. Do not over mix.
- Pour into the prepared molds
- Bake for about 15 minutes or until just set with a slight wobble in the center
- Remove the tray from the oven and let the cheesecakes cool down in the tray
- Once cooled, demold the cheesecakes and place on a serving platter
- Spread lemon curd on the top of the cheesecakes. At this stage they can be refrigerated till serving time
- Make the Italian meringue
- Pipe or spoon the meringue over the cheesecake and the lemon curd to cover everything
- Lightly brown the meringue with a blow torch
- Best served on the same day
To bake into a one big cake
- Simply use a 6 inch round cake pan tray lined with a parchment
- Use the crumbs to create a firm base and pour the cheesecake mixture
- Bake for about 45 minutes to an hour or until just set. Center should be wobbly
- Decorate the same way with lemon cur and the meringue
- In this case, you can cover the sides too with meringue like a bomb Alaska
Make this into one big cake
