When apple pie meets cheesecake you get this decadent dessert. Why choose one when you can have both?

I warned you the apple recipes were coming. I know you shouldn't play favourites but you guys if you make one thing from this blog let it be this. Seriously I think it is one of the best things I have ever made. A pain to photograph - oh why can't everything I make be as photogenic as a cupcake? But seriously delicious. Everyone who was lucky enough to try this delicious masterpiece commented even days after the fact that it was the best cheesecake they've ever had. It is that good. I mean when you are combining two delicious desserts - apple pie and cheesecake - its hard not to come up with something delicious.

This cheesecake is a bit of a labour of love. I love the look of a beautiful intricate lattice pie crust - but you can omit this if you are short of time or cannot be bothered. The cheesecake will still be as delicious. In order to truly capture the essence of apple pie, I used pie dough as my cheesecake crust rather than a traditional graham cracker crumb. I used a homemade pie crust but feel free to use your favourite store bought brand as well. To develop the apple pie flavour I cooked my apples slightly on the stove first before layering them with the cheesecake in the oven. Since the apples are being topped with the cheesecake mixture they won't cook the same way they do in a traditional apple pie.

Apple Pie Cheesecake

Makes: One 8 inch round cheesecake

Directions

In a medium bowl toss together all of the ingredients for the apple filling, except the butter. In a medium sized sauce pan over medium heat, melt the butter and add the apple filling. Simmer until the apples have softened, about 5 minutes.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream together cream cheese, greek yogurt and sugar until well combined. Mix in the flour and vanilla. Add the eggs one at a time, scrapping down the bowl after each addition.

Preheat oven to 325F. Roll out your pie crust into a circle approximately 11 inches in diameter. Press into the bottom of of a spring form pan with 1-2 inches of crust coming up onto the sides of the spring form pan. Spread half of your apple filling mixture on top of the crust. Pour the cream cheese cake filling on top. Bake for an hour to an hour and 10 minutes or until cheese cake is set.

Allow cheesecake to cool. Top with the remainder of your apple filling mixture and decorate with a lattice pie crust top if desired.

To make the lattice crust - create crust design as desired and bake according to directions based on the crust recipe you've used or until golden brown. Place on top of cheese cake after baking.