Individual cheesecakes with lemon meringue

Ingredients:

Cake

• 1.5 cups chopped fluffy cookies
• 1.5 tbsp. sugar
• 1/4 cup butter

Cheesecake

• 2 x 225g packages cream cheese, room temperature
• 2/3 cup sugar
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1 tbsp finely grated lemon zest
• 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 large eggs at room temperature

Lemon meringue

• Protein of 2 large eggs
• 1/4 teaspoon lemon juice
• 3 tablespoons of sugar
• 1.5 tsp cornstarch

Preparation:

1. Preheat oven to 180°C and line 48 mini muffin tins with paper cups.
2. To prepare the cakeMix all ingredients until smooth and crumbly. Spread the mixture on the bottom of the molds and press down. Bake for 8 minutes, then let cool.
3. Reduce oven temperature to 160°C.
4. Beat the cream cheese mixture until smooth, then gradually add the sugar, scraping down the sides of the bowl. Stir in the cornstarch, lemon zest, lemon juice, and vanilla. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well and scraping down the sides of the bowl after each addition.
5. Spoon or pipe the curd filling onto the cooled cake layers and bake for about 18 minutes, until the cheesecake still jiggles slightly when gently shaking the pan. Cool the cheesecakes to room temperature. Add the meringue layer only after the cheesecakes have cooled. Alternatively, refrigerate them overnight and then finish assembling the dessert.
6. Preheat oven to 180°C.
7. Lemon meringueUsing a mixer, beat the egg whites with lemon juice until foamy. While whisking, gradually add the sugar and continue beating at a speed lower than maximum until stiff peaks form (the meringue peak stands upright when the whisk is lifted). Stir in the cornstarch.
8. Place the meringue in a piping bag fitted with a large plain or star tip and pipe it on top of each cheesecake. Bake for about 6 minutes, until lightly browned. Refrigerate the cheesecakes for at least 1 hour before serving, or serve the next day.