Apple Pie Cheesecake

This fall I decided to join a local CSA.  It was such a great decision because it was surprisingly affordable and my husband and I are now eating healthier than either of us have in a long time.  The only down side to it is that sometimes we are inundated with a particular food, and of course with it being fall, we have had apples coming out of our ears.  

While trying to come up with new ways to use the apples I kept dreaming of an apple pie/cheesecake hybrid.  I didn't want a cheesecake with some apples in it or and apple pie with cheesecake mixed in, but something simpler: a layer or crust, a layer of cheesecake, a layer of apple pie, and maybe a crumb topping.  Would you believe there was no such thing on the web?  I searched through pages and pages of google search results and couldn't find anything like what I was after!  I knew I was just going to have to make one myself, but I had no idea that it was going to turn out this yummy on the first try.  My family actually fought over the last piece!


Crust:
1 cup flour
1/4 cup sugar
1 egg yolk
1/2 cup butter, room temperature

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

Apple pie:
4-5 medium apples
1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp allspice
1/2 tsp nutmeg

Crumb topping:
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup flour
1/4 cup butter, room temperature
1 tsp cinnamon

For this recipe you'll need a 12" spring form pan.

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 most of the way up the sides of a greased spring form pan.

To make the cheesecake layer, beat the cream cheese and sugar until smooth.  Add the eggs, one at a time, then the vanilla and allspice. Pour into the spring form pan on top of the crust.

Preheat the oven to 400F.

Peel and core the apples, cut them into small pieces, and toss with sugar and spices to coat.  Pour the apple pieces over the top of the cheesecake.

Combine all of the crumb topping ingredients in a small bowl and blend like you did the crust.  Cover the apple pie layer evenly with the crumb topping.

Bake for 12 minutes at 400F, then reduce the heat to 375F and bake for another 35 minutes.  The apple pie cheesecake will have puffed up a lot and will be quite jiggly, but if this is your first cheesecake don't let that alarm you - it will return to its normal size and firm up as it cools.  

Let cool in the pan, then refrigerate overnight. Serves 12-16, if you're lucky.

 Doesn't that look delicious?  I am already dreaming of other kinds of cheesecake-pie hybrids that I could try next.  I think a pumpkin pie cheesecake is next up, but then what?  Maybe something chocolatey.  I will definitely keep you posted!

Happy baking!
-Meg