• Prepare a 9-inch springform pan with parchment paper, and preheat an oven to 180c (350f).
• Pulse graham crackers in a food processor until fine crumbs form. If you don’t have a food processor on hand, place the crackers in a Ziplock bag and smash the crackers with a cup until fine crumbs form.
• Into a small to medium mixing bowl, add the graham crackers crumbs, granulated sugar, and melted butter. Mix with a spoon until the crumbs are coated with butter.
• Transfer the crumbs into a prepared 9-inch cake pan, pressing evenly and firmly into the pan.
• Bake the crust in a 180c (350f) preheated oven for 7-8 minutes. Keep an eye on the crust and make sure it doesn’t burn. Take the crust out of the oven and let it cool to room temperature.
• Lower the temperature to 140c (280f). In a large mixing bowl, add the room-temperature cream cheese, granulated sugar, lemon zest, and vanilla extract, and mix with an electric hand mixer until is creamy.
• Add the sour cream and lemon juice and mix until well combined.
• Whisk the eggs with a fork, add them to the cream cheese batter, and mix until the mixture is creamy and smooth.
• Sift the cornstarch into the mixture and mix until combined and there are no lumps of cornstarch showing.
• Pour the cheesecake batter over the crust, and release air bubbles by gently tapping the pan onto a flat surface.
• Bake it in a 140c (280f) preheated oven for about an hour or until the edges of the cheesecake are set, but the middle is a bit jiggly.
• Open the oven door halfway, and let the cheesecake cool to room temperature for 1-2 hours.
• After the cheesecake is cooled, wrap the cheesecake with plastic wrap tightly, and place the cheesecake in the fridge to cool completely for at least 5 hours.
• While you chill the cheesecake, make the lemon curd from my lemon curd cake recipe. Top the cheesecake with the lemon curd and smooth it out with an offset spatula.

Make the meringue

• In a mixing bowl of a stand mixer, add the egg whites, sugar, and cream of tartar. Place the bowl over a saucepan with simmering water, making sure the water does not touch the bowl.
• Constantly mix with the whisk until the sugar dissolves (feel the mixture with your clean fingers). Take it off the heat and whip it to stiff peaks at the highest speed (this usually takes about 5-7 minutes).
• Top the lemon curd layer with the meringue topping and make swirls with an offset spatula. Blowtorch the meringue to finish it off. Serve immediately or store in the fridge for up to 3 days.