French Apple Cheesecake

Step 1

Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C)

Step 2

Crust: In a bowl, combine graham cracker crumbs and butter. Press into bottom of cheesecake pan and freeze.

Step 3

Filling: In a mixer bowl fitted with paddle attachment, beat cream cheese, sour cream, brown sugar and honey on medium-high speed until very smooth, for 3 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition. Mix in vanilla and lemon juice. Stir in cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves. Pour over frozen crust, smoothing out to sides of pan.

Step 4

Topping: In a bowl, using a pastry fork or two knives, cut butter into flour as if making a pie crust. Add brown sugar, cinnamon and cloves. Add apple slices and toss to coat. Arrange slices in a spiral over batter.

Step 5

Bake in preheated oven until apples are light brown and slightly firm in the center, 60 to 75 minutes. Let cool in pan on a wire rack for 2 hours. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 6 hours before decorating or serving.

Step 6

Decoration: In a small bowl, whisk confectioner’s sugar with butter and hot water. Drizzle over chilled cake.

Step 7

Variation

Step 8

Use the topping in the filling of the cheesecake instead of arranging it on top. Just blend it into the batter and bake as directed.