Almond Cheesecake with Apple Topping

Ingredients

• 200 g Flour
• 100 g cold butter
• 2 tbsp sugar
• 1 pinch salt
• 1 egg
• 2 tsp cocoa powder
• 100 g almond flakes
• 500 g cream cheese (10% fat) or quark 20% fat content
• 125 g sugar
• 40 g cornstarch
• 4 eggs
• 2 tsp grated lemon zest
• 200 g whipping cream
• 5 apples (sour)
• 3 tbsp honey
• 0.5 lemon
• 1 tsp cinnamon

Instructions

1. 1.

   Sift the flour onto a work surface, mix with cocoa powder, salt and sugar, then press a well in the center. Cut the cold butter into small pieces, distribute around the well, add the egg, about 50 ml lukewarm water, and use a knife to cut through all ingredients until small dough crumbs form; quickly knead by hand into dough, shape into a ball, wrap in cling film and refrigerate for about 30 minutes.

2. 2.

   Roll the dough between two sheets of parchment paper to a size 3–4 cm larger than the pan, sprinkle almond flakes on top, press them down, then place the almonds evenly in your springform pan, pressing the rim against the pan.

3. 3.

   For the filling, mix cream cheese (or quark) with sugar, cornstarch, eggs and lemon zest. Whip the cream stiffly and fold it into the mixture. Spread the filling over the dough, smooth it out and bake in a preheated oven at 180 °C for about 1 hour; test doneness with a wooden stick.

4. 4.

   Meanwhile peel, quarter, core and slice the apples. Squeeze lemon juice. Heat honey in a pan, let it caramelize, add the apples, lightly caramelize them and deglaze with lemon juice; steam for 2–3 minutes in their own juices while gently turning. Sprinkle cinnamon, set aside to cool.

5. 5.

   Let the finished cake rest for 10 minutes in an turned-off oven with the door slightly open. Remove from the oven, top with the caramelized apples and let it cool completely. Release from the pan, cut into pieces and serve.