Caramel Apple Crumb Cheesecake

From my book, Making Artisan Cheesecake, Quarto Publishing 2015

This is delicious with the goat cheese, but you can use all cream cheese if you prefer or use an equal amount of mascarpone for the goat cheese. The crumb crust and topping make this taste almost like an apple pie.

Streusel Crumb Crust

3 cups (375 g) all-purpose flour

1 ½ cups (340 g) light brown sugar

¾ cup (60 g) rolled oats

1 tablespoon (7 g) ground cinnamon

Pinch of ground nutmeg

12 ounces (337 g) unsalted butter, melted

Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C, or gas mark 4).

In a large bowl, combine the flour, brown sugar, oats, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Add the butter all at once and stir until completely combined and the mixture begins to come together.

Remove two-thirds of the streusel and press it into the bottom of a springform pan. Set aside the remaining one-third for the topping. Place in the oven and bake for 18 to 20 minutes, or until firm and lightly golden. Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely.

Apples

1 tablespoon (14 g) unsalted butter

2 Granny Smith apples, peeled and cut into ½-inch (1.3 cm) dice

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

To make the apples:

In a large sauté pan, heat the butter over medium-high heat. Once melted, add the apples all at once and cook for 4 to 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the apples are just beginning to soften. Remove from the heat and stir in the cinnamon. Allow to cool completely.

Cheesecake

1 pound (454 g) cream cheese

1 pound (454 g) goat cheese

½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar

4 large eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

To make the cheesecake:

Lower the oven to 325°F (170°C, or gas mark 3).

In the bowl of an electric mixer, using the paddle attachment, mix the cream cheese and goat cheese on low speed until softened, scraping down the sides and underneath the paddle with a rubber spatula, about 2 minutes. Add the granulated sugar and continue mixing on low and scraping down the bowl until there are no visible lumps. Add the eggs, one at a time, and mix just until combined, about 10 seconds after each egg. Stir in the vanilla and ground cinnamon.

Prepare your springform pan for a water bath. Place the springform pan in a larger cake pan or roasting pan. Pour the batter over the baked crust and level it with a small offset spatula. Place the cooked apples on top of the cheesecake batter and sprinkle with the remaining third of the streusel.

Place in the oven and pour almost-boiling water into the roasting pan (the water should come halfway up the sides of the pan). Bake for about 1 hour 10 minutes, until the cheesecake is firm around the edges but still jiggly in the center (the jiggly part should be about the size of a quarter).

Remove the cheesecake from the water bath. Remove the foil from the pan. Gently run a small sharp knife or small spatula around the edges of the pan to loosen the cheesecake from the sides. Allow to cool at room temperature. Refrigerate for at least 8 hours to fully set.

To unmold:

Run a small sharp knife or small spatula around the edges again, release the latch, and lift the ring straight up. Refrigerate until ready to serve. Drizzle with caramel sauce before serving.

Caramel Sauce

Yield: 1⅓ cups (320 g)

1 cup (200 g) sugar

¼ cup (60 ml) water

4 tablespoons (56 g) unsalted butter

½ cup (120 ml) heavy cream

In a large saucepan, combine the sugar and water and cook over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until the sugar has dissolved, 4 to 5 minutes. Increase the heat to high and continue cooking, without stirring, until the caramel is a deep amber color, 6 to 8 minutes. Remove from heat and carefully add the butter and heavy cream. Whisk until smooth. Allow to cool slightly before serving.

Photo by Marcus Tullis

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