Dinner with Julie

Apple Pie Cheesecake

It’s birthday week around here – mine, Mike’s, my sister’s and my nephew’s, all within 6 days. Today we got together for dinner. On the menu: 21 day aged roast beef, Yorkshire pud, roasted veg and all that. For dessert, I dug up something that had jumped out as something Mike would love – apple cheesecake. The plain cheesecake from Canadian Living was his birthday cake of choice for years, and his favourite special-day breakfast has always been puffed apple pancakes or crepes with sautéed apples. This seemed like the perfect marriage of the two.

It had a simple press-in crust made with flour, sugar, butter and egg yolk. Mixed with my fingers and pressed into the bottom and a little up the sides of a springform pan, all rustic-like.

The cheesecake filling is easily mixed and poured overtop.

Then you thinly slice tart apples (I used Ambrosia) and toss them with sugar and cinnamon and spread them over the unbaked filling. Then bake the lot of it.

When it’s done it’ll be puffed and golden, but still a bit jiggly; it will firm up as it cools.

It needs some time to chill out, so make it in the morning if it’s destined for dinner.

Apple Pie Cheesecake

Adapted from Dainty Chef, with thanks to her cheesecake source, Pat Ryer

Crust:
1 cup flour
1/4 cup sugar
1 egg yolk (save the white)
1/2 cup butter, room temperature

Filling:
2 – 8 oz pkg. cream cheese, at room temperature
1/2 cup sugar
2 large eggs
1 tsp. vanilla

Topping:
1 large or 2 medium apples, thinly sliced (about 2 cups or so)
1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon

To make the crust, combine all of the ingredients in a small bowl and blend with a fork, pastry cutter or your fingers until well blended – it will look like big, soft crumbs. Press into the bottom and about an inch up the sides of a buttered or sprayed springform pan.

To make the filling, beat the cream cheese and sugar until smooth and lump-free; add the eggs, one at a time, then the reserved egg white and vanilla. Pour into the pastry lined pan. Preheat the oven to 400F.

Thinly slice the apple(s) and toss with sugar and cinnamon to coat; scatter over the top of the cheesecake. Bake for 12 minutes, then reduce the heat to 375F and bake for another 30-35 minutes, until puffed and golden but slightly jiggly – it will firm up as it cools. Let cool in the pan, then refrigerate for a few hours, or overnight. Serves 12.

October 30 2011 | cake and dessert | 24 Comments »