Apple Pie Cheesecake

I went apple picking upstate with the bf's fam two weeks ago and hauled a bag of apples home. I've been eating one daily and now have BECOME SICK OF APPLES. Soooo, I decided to make apple pie filling and put it in a cheesecake! After moving to New York, I can't and won't stop eating cheesecakes. It did give new life to plain apples and they were tolerable again :P

The apples that we could only pick were the Shizuka variety, since we went late and everyone already picked all the fuji and honeycrisp apples. It was like a plague of locusts just swept through the apple trees. But it worked out for me because shizuka apples are sweet, slightly tart, firm and perfect for baking or cooking. Since we had to pay an entrance fee to enter the grounds, you bet your butt I ate a lot of apples to get my money's worth! I couldn't look at another apple for days. Except I'm stuck in the SICU for 5 weeks and my food tray always includes an apple :(

I wanted to make a lighter cheesecake and incorporated a lot of yogurt. It still tastes very much like a rich cheesecake, but so much better for my muffin tops ;)

Apple Pie Cheesecake

makes one 9" cake

Apple pie filling
2 large apples peeled and diced, use firm slightly tart apples like pink lady
1 tsp butter
1 tsp pumpkin spice
1 tbsp water
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 cup white sugar
1 tbsp cornstarch + 1 tbsp water

1. On low medium heat, melt butter and spices. Add 1 tbsp water, diced apples and sugar
2. Stir often and cook for about 6-8 mins until apples are slightly soft
3. Make the cornstarch slurry by adding water and cornstarch together until no lumps. Drizzle into apple filling
4. Cook for additional 3-5 minutes to thicken and until it bubble. Set aside to cool

Yogurt Cheesecake

Your favorite pie crust recipe (I use Ina Garten because she is a Food Goddess!)
2 8oz cream cheese
1 3/4 cup whole milk Siggi (I used) or greek yogurt
2/3 c sugar
1 tsp vanilla
2 tsp lemon juice
3 large eggs

1. Preheat oven to 400F. No need to roll out the pie dough. Just press into a 9" springform pan and up the sides a little. Poke holes with fork. Blind bake pie crust for 15 mins
2. Reduce oven temp to 325F. In a mixer or large bowel beat cream cheese until light and fluffy. Beat in yogurt, sugar, vanilla and lemon juice
3. Beat in 1 egg at a time, making sure not to over beat as it can introduce bubbles
4. Cover springform pan sides with foil and place in larger pan to make a water bath. Pour room temp water into the bath until half way up cheesecake pan
5. Bake for 50-60 mins until middle is just set. Crack oven door open and cool in oven for 1 hour. Let cool completely at room temp afterwards
6. Cover with foil and refrigerate for at least 5 hours or overnight to set
7. Make the top pretty with dried apple slices and pie crust leaves!