Lemon Meringue Cheesecake

 Lemon Meringue Cheesecake

Ingredients
For the Crust
¼ cup sugar
½ cup butter melted**
1¼ cups graham cracker crumbs
(or sweet biscuit/cookie crumbs /vanilla wafers work well)

For the Pie
¼ cup fresh lemon juice
1 can sweetened condensed milk
2 blocks Cream Cheese (250 grams each) –
I used Philly Cream Cheese

For the Meringue
5 egg whites, stiffly beaten but not dry
½ cup caster sugar (super fine sugar – not powdered)

Crust
Combine the crumbs, sugar and butter and press into a 9½ inch pie pan. Bake in a 350F (180C) oven for about 7 minutes, then cool to room temperature and place in the fridge to cool.
Pie
Beat cream cheese until smooth and then add the sweetened condensed milk and lemon juice and beat well.
Pour into prepared, cooled crumb crust and chill until firm. Yes, it does get firm.

Meringue
Beat egg whites til stiff but not dry and gradually add the sugar and continue beating until all the sugar has been dissolved.
Spoon mixture on the pie and swirl to get soft peaks.
Bake in a 400F oven for about 7 minutes or until the peaks are dark brown and the rest of the meringue is a nice tan color.