The Base (Dough)

In a stand mixer bowl, combine the dry ingredients: flour, almond flour, sugar, powdered sugar, salt, and lemon zest. Mix until uniform.

Add the cold butter (80 g), cut into small cubes, and mix until the mixture turns into fine crumbs.

Add the egg yolks one by one. Mix the dough just until it forms a cohesive crumb suitable for rolling. Do not overmix at this stage.

Gather the dough into a ball, place it on your work surface, and divide it into 2 equal parts.

Place each piece of dough between two sheets of parchment paper and roll it out into a flat sheet 2–3 mm thick. (Note: If your oven is large enough, you can roll the entire dough out into a single sheet).

Before baking, prick the dough with a fork in several places to prevent air bubbles from forming during the bake.

Transfer the rolled-out dough on a flat surface into the freezer for 1hour. Repeat with the second half of the dough.

Bake at 160°C for 15–20 minutes (depending on thickness) until the edges are golden.

Let it cool completely, then process it in a blender into fine crumbs.

Restructuring the Crust

Take a culinary pastry ring. Place a sheet of foil on your work surface, top it with a slightly smaller piece of parchment paper, and tightly seal the ring from the outside using the foil. Place the prepared ring on a small baking sheet.

Slightly melt the butter (45 g) and mix it with the crumbs until it resembles wet sand (it should clump together when squeezed in your hand).

Start forming the sides first (about 6 cm high and of medium thickness), pressing firmly with a spoon. Then, form the bottom, also of medium thickness, pressing down firmly with a flat lid or spoon.

Important detail: Run a spoon along the inner base corner to ensure a sharp 90-degree angle. This guarantees a beautiful, neat slice later.

Bake the compacted crust at 160°C for 12 minutes.

Let it cool completely before pouring in the cheese filling. (Baking caramelizes the sugars and fuses the crumbs into a solid monolith that prevents moisture from seeping through).

Lemon curd

In a saucepan, whisk together the egg yolks, sugar, and cornstarch. Add the lemon juice and zest, and whisk until fully combined.

Cook over medium-low heat until it thickens to the consistency of heavy sour cream. Test for doneness: Run your whisk across the bottom of the pan; if the trail holds for 1–2 seconds, the curd is ready.

Remove from the heat and add the soft butter. Stir until completely melted and incorporated. (You can use an immersion blender for a perfect emulsion, but mixing well with a spatula is perfectly fine).

Pass the curd through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl, stir, and cover with cling film in contact (the film must directly touch the surface of the curd to prevent a skin from forming).

Let it cool at room temperature for about 30 minutes (it doesn’t need to cool completely), then refrigerate.

Cheese filling

Mix the cream cheese, sugar, cornstarch, and salt until smooth using a paddle attachment or a spatula.

Add the yolk, the whole eggs one by one, and the lemon zest. Crucial detail: Mix each egg just until incorporated (about 20–30 seconds) to avoid beating excess air into the batter.

Add the heavy cream and gently fold until combined.

Divide the mixture into 2 parts. The white part should weigh roughly 450 g, and the remaining part roughly 375 g.

Mix the smaller portion (375 g) with 120 g of your prepared lemon curd until uniform.

Transfer both fillings into disposable piping bags. Pipe the lemon layer onto the cooled crust first. Smooth the surface and lightly tap the pan against the table to release trapped air bubbles.

Pipe the white layer on top, smooth the surface, and tap against the table again.

Re-heat your oven thoroughly for 45 to 60 minutes. Open the oven and carefully pour 350 g of boiling water into a hot, empty baking tray placed at the bottom.

Place the cheesecake on the middle rack, close the door, and bake at 125°C for 1 hour and 30 minutes.

Doneness check: The edges should be stable and set, while the center should still jiggle like jelly. (Always gauge doneness by the stability of the edges).

Turn off the oven and prop the door open about 3–5 cm (you can use a rolled-up towel to hold it). Leave the cheesecake inside for 60 minutes.

Remove the cheesecake from the oven and leave it on the counter at room temperature for 2 hours.

Once completely cooled to room temperature, refrigerate overnight.

Italian Meringue & Assembly

Whip the egg whites on medium speed until they form a dense, uniform foam (similar in texture to beer foam).

Simultaneously, heat a syrup made of water and sugar in a saucepan until it reaches 118°C.

Pour the hot syrup into the whipping egg whites in a thin, steady stream. Continue whipping until stiff, glossy peaks form.

Assembly: Spread a thin layer of the remaining lemon curd over the chilled cheesecake. Pipe or spread the Italian meringue on top, and toast it using a culinary blowtorch.