I serve this cheesecake cold with warm caramelized apples. It’s so good together! The contrast of flavours and textures in this dessert are heightened with the warm apples that have been slowly cooked.  It is not a sauce, but like a side dish of caramelized translucent apples to complement your cheesecake. I serve it with a dollop of whipped cream, but it is not necessary.

cheesecake with caramelized apples

This smooth and creamy plain cheesecake is a perfect base for the caramelized apples, or with anything.

I have used a crumb crust using Biscoff cookies with their mild spice and buttery caramel flavours, but of course you could use a graham cracker crumb crust instead.

plain cheesecake with caramelized apples

I put this in a shallower false bottom flan pan to give it more surface area for the apples to cover.

But you could use a 9” (23cm) springform making sure that you bring the crust at least halfway up the sides. When baking the cheesecake, increase the second baking time by about 20 minutes.

Ingredients for Cheesecake with Caramelized Apples

Caramelized Apples

Royal Gala, Granny Smith, Cortland or Fuji are all good firm apples to use. Wash, peel, quarter and core the apples.  Cut each quarter in half.  (Cut the apples in eighths). I cut the wedges a little large and cook them slowly so they are translucent like those gorgeous French candied fruit from Provence. A cast iron skillet is best for even heat distribution, but gently moving the apples around any pan is fine.

I suggest using organic apples if you can as apples tend to be grown with the most pesticides.

I start with the caramelized apples because you can make them days in advance but you can do them anytime since the cheesecake should cool completely.

Ingredients for cheesecake with caramelized apples
What you will need for cheesecake with caramelized apples

Start by washing, peeling and quartering the apples. Cut out the cores and cut each quarter in half or in thirds if you would rather.

Heat the pan over medium heat and melt the butter. Sprinkle the sugar and cinnamon evenly over and add the apple pieces. Try to spread them out in a single layer but you can jostle them a bit as they cook and shrink moving the apples around as needed, but not much more.

After 20-30 minutes, turn them over and cook them for another 20-30 minutes. Do keep an eye on them as you want them to cook through and caramelize but be careful not to brown too much. Turn the heat down as needed.

Add the apple juice, stirring just to bring it all together. Turn off the heat. If not serving right away, let cool and store covered in the refrigerator. Reheat gently on the stove or in the microwave as needed.

remove the apple core
Prepare the apples
Cook butter sugar and cinnamon in a cast iron pan
Melted butter, sugar and cinnamon
spread the apple wedges in the pan
Evenly spread the apples in the pan
slowly caramelize apples
Cook low and slow
Soft cooked carmelized apples
Once soft and slightly translucent, add the apple juice and gently stir

Cookie Crumb Crust

A cookie crumb crust pressed up the sides and bottom of the pan and cooking at a low temperature eliminates the need for the cheesecake to be baked in a water bath, I feel. When baking in a shallow flan pan it doesn’t give it much room to sit in water if wrapped. I do like to prebake the crust though.

Process the biscuits until fine in a food processor or place them in a bag and crush with a rolling pin then mix with melted unsalted butter. Any biscuits you use will likely have salt added to them.

Press into the bottom and up sides of the 10½” (27cm) flan or 9” (23cm) springform pan firmly and bake. Let cool before filling.

Breaking up cookies for crust
Make fine cookie crumbs
Add melted butter to cookie crumbs
Add melted butter
Biscoff cookie crumb crust
Press the crumbs firmly in the bottom and up sides of pan

The Cheesecake Filling

Try to remember to bring all of your ingredients out half an hour to an hour ahead to make combining smoother and easier.

Add the sugar and cornstarch and beat for about 3 minutes. Scrape the bowl often right up from the bottom. This is the time where you can make the cheesecake batter smooth so mix well.

Add the sugar and cornstarch to the cream cheese
Beat the cream cheese with sugar and cornstarch
Scrape the cream cheese bowl
Scrape the bowl often. Make sure to get to the bottom
Lump free cheesecake mixture
A smooth cream cheese mixture
Add eggs one at a time
Add eggs one at a time

Add the eggs one at a time beating but not whipping, adding the next as each is fully incorporated. Blend in the vanilla.

Mix in the sour cream and whipping cream and add the lemon zest.

Add the pure vanilla extract
Blend in the vanilla extract
Add the sour cream to the cheesecake batter
Add sour cream
Add whipping cream to cheesecake batter
Pour in the whipping cream
Lemon zest for the cheesecake
Mix in the lemon zest

Pour the batter gently into the prepared crumb crust.

Bake at 350°F (180°C) for 10 minutes  then 300°F (150°C) for 30 minutes.  Turn th oven off but leave cheesecake in for one hour.  Cool completely.

For best results, refrigerate over night or at least 4 hours before serving.

Serve slices with the warm caramelized apples on top or on the side.

pour the cheesecake batter into the crumb crust
Pour the batter into the crust
puffed baked cheesecake
Cheesecake baked and puffed
cheesecake with caramelized apples recipe

Cheesecake with Caramelized Apples

A creamy classic baked cheesecake with a Biscoff cookie crumb crust served with warm slow cooked caramelized apples on top.
Prep Time 35 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 10 minutes
Caramelized Apples 1 hour 15 minutes
Total Time 3 hours
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Servings 9 people

Equipment

  • 1 10½" (27cm) Flan pan with false bottom or a 9" (23cm) springform pan

Ingredients
  

For the Caramelized Apples

  • 2 Lbs 7 apples almost 1 kg
  • ¼ cup unsalted butter 57g
  • cup granulated sugar (133g)
  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon
  • ¼-½ cups apple juice

For the Crust

  • 1 package 32 Biscoff cookies (250g)
  • 4 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted (57g)

For the Cheesecake

  • 2 250g packages cream cheese 16oz (500g)
  • ¾ cup granulated sugar (150g)
  • 1 Tbsp cornstarch (cornflour)
  • 3 large eggs
  • ½ cup heavy cream (35%) (125mL)
  • ½ cup sour cream (125mL)
  • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
  • 1 Tbsp lemon zest, fine

Instructions
 

Caramelized Apples

  • Wash, peel, quarter and core the apples. Cut each quarter in half.
  • Over medium heat in a large skillet, cast iron works well, melt the butter and sprinkle the sugar and cinnamon over it.
  • Place the apples in on their side, if they don't all fit in one layer just place the rest on top. They will cook down.
  • Cook for about 30 minutes over medium heat moving the apples around only as needed.
  • Turn them over and cook for another 25-30 minutes. The syrup should start to brown and caramelize and the apples will become translucent. Remove any that look like they are cooked enough before they brown too much.
  • Turn off the heat and carefully add the apple juice. Gently turn the apples around to bring everything together.
  • Serve this warm over pieces of cheesecake. You can also make it far in advance and keep it refrigerated. gently reheat as needed.

The Crust

  • Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C).
  • Finely crush the biscuits or grind in a food processor.
  • Add the melted butter and combine until it all comes together.
  • Press firmly into the 10½” (27cm) flan pan right up the sides. If you are using a  9” (23cm) springform pan press the crumbs ¾ up the side.
  • Bake for 10 minutes.
  • Remove from the oven and let cool at least 15 minutes before using.

Cheesecake

  • Beat the cream cheese to soften.
  • Add the sugar and cornstarch and cream very well. You can beat it on high until it is very smooth.
  • Add the vanilla and then the eggs one at a time as each is fully incorporated beating on medium speed.
  • Mix in the whipping cream and the sour cream.
  • Add the lemon zest.
  • Pour into the prepared crust.
  • Bake at 350°F (180°C) for 10 minutes. Without removing the cheescake lower the heat to 300°F (150°C) and bake for another 30 minutes.
  • When it has finished baking turn the oven off and leave the cheesecake in for another half an hour.
  • Cool to room temperature completely before refrigerating.

Notes

If you use a 9” (23cm) springform pan, bring the crust about ¾ up the sides and increase the second baking time by about 20 minutes.  After turning off the oven, leave the cheesecake in for an hour to cool to reduce cracking.
 
Keyword baked cheesecake, caramelized apples, cream cheese, fall baking