Apple crumble cheesecake

A delicious and aromatic cheesecake layered with tender apples sautéed in cinnamon, finished with a buttery crumble topping. Slightly rustic and full of autumn charm, it’s the perfect bake for chilly days — best enjoyed with a cup of tea or coffee. I initially planned to serve it with caramel sauce, but in the end went for a simple icing. It’s equally lovely without any topping at all. A truly perfect autumn dessert.

Ingredients for the crumble:

• 240 g plain flour
• 120 g dark brown sugar
• 130 g butter, melted

Place all the ingredients in a mixing bowl and combine until a crumbly texture forms. Alternatively, rub the ingredients together with your fingertips. Divide the crumble into two portions.

Line a 23 cm round tin with baking parchment. Press one portion of the crumble into the base and pre-bake at 180°C for about 15 minutes, or until lightly golden. Remove from the oven.

Ingredients for the cinnamon apples:

• 700 g apples
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Peel the apples, remove the cores and cut into quarters, then slice each quarter into three pieces.

Place the apples in a large frying pan, sprinkle with sugar and cinnamon, and toss to coat. Cook for a few minutes, stirring occasionally, until slightly softened but still holding their shape. Remove from the heat and transfer to a sieve or colander to drain off excess juice.

Ingredients for the cheesecake filling:

• 500 g full-fat or semi-fat curd cheese, ground three times
• 250 g mascarpone
• 3 large eggs
• 2 tablespoons potato starch
• 170 g caster sugar
• 16 g vanilla sugar

All ingredients should be at room temperature.

Place all ingredients in a mixing bowl and mix until just combined, either with a mixer or a whisk. Do not overmix — too much air will cause the cheesecake to rise excessively and then collapse. Pour the cheesecake mixture over the pre-baked base (it can still be warm). Arrange the drained apples on top, then sprinkle evenly with the remaining crumble.

Bake at 175°C for about 50–60 minutes, until the cheesecake is set and the top is golden. Leave to cool gradually in the switched-off oven, then remove and cool completely at room temperature.

Decorate as desired, for example with icing. This cheesecake keeps well at room temperature.

Enjoy!