I love apple crisp and I love cheesecake. This recipe is a fine marriage of both, and makes a more than acceptable breakfast. The base is a crumble of oats and flour, the middle is classic cheesecake, and it’s topped with cinnamon apples and a buttery oat streusel.
Total cook and prep time 3 hours (plus overnight chilling)
Ingredients
2 cups large flake oats
1 cup all purpose flour
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
3/4 cup butter, melted
½ tsp salt
3 - 225 g packages cream cheese, at room temperature
2/3 cup granulated sugar
1 tsp (5 mL) vanilla
3 large eggs, at room temperature
1/3 cup (80 mL) whipping cream
2 apples, peeled, cored and sliced about 3-4 mm thick
1 tsp ground cinnamon
½ tsp salt
1 cup large flake oats
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 tsp ground cinnamon
Preparation
- Preheat the oven to 375º F
- Butter the bottom and sides of a 9-inch springform pan with sides that are at least 7 cm high. Wrap the bottom of the pan in aluminum foil, so it comes at least halfway up the sides
- Combine the crust ingredients in a large bowl. Press the crust evenly into the pan and place on a baking sheet. Bake for 10 minutes. Remove from oven and let it cool on a wire rack
- Reduce heat to 325º F. Put a kettle of water on to boil. Have a large roasting pan close by
- Using a stand mixer with a paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese at medium speed for 4 minutes, scraping down the sides once or twice, until it is soft and creamy. With the mixer still running, add the sugar and beat for another 4 minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl at least twice. Beat in the vanilla. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating for 1 minute after each addition, and scraping the bowl. Reduce speed to low, and add the whipping cream
- Toss the sliced apples with the cinnamon and salt in a small bowl. Combine all of the streusel ingredients in a medium bowl and mix well
- Place the springform pan in the roasting pan. Give the cheesecake batter a good stir and pour it on top of the crust. Arrange the apples on top and sprinkle the streusel on top of the apples
- Place in the oven on the middle rack, and pour the hot water into the roasting pan so it comes halfway up the sides of the springform pan
- Bake the cheesecake for 1½ hours. Turn off the heat, prop open the oven door and let the cheesecake hang inside for another hour
- Carefully remove from the oven, and take out the cheesecake from the hot water bath. Remove the foil and let the cheesecake come to room temperature on a wire rack. Cover the top lightly and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, but overnight is best. The next day, remove the sides of the pan, and serve the cake.
