- 1¼ cups (300g) graham cracker crumbs
- 3 tbsp (45g)`unsalted butter, melted
- 3 packages (each 8 oz/250 g) cream cheese, softened
- 1 cup (250 mL) sour cream
- 1 cup (250 mL) packed light brown sugar
- ¼ cup (50 mL) liquid honey
- 4 eggs
- 1 tbsp (15 mL) vanilla extract
- 1 tsp (5 mL) freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 1 tsp (5 mL) ground cinnamon
- ½ tsp (2 mL) freshly grated nutmeg
- ¼ tsp (1 mL) ground cloves
- 3 tbsp (45 mL) cold unsalted butter, cut into cubes
- ¼ cup (50 mL) all purpose flour
- ¼ cup (50 mL) packed light brown sugar
- ½ tsp (2 mL) ground cinnamon
- ¼ tsp (1 mL) ground cloves
- 1 baking apple, peeled(such as Granny Smith or Pippin), sliced into 12 thin slices
- ½ cup (125 mL) confectioners sugar (icing sugar)
- 2 tbsp (25 mL) unsalted butter, melted
- 2 tbsp (25 mL) hot water
- 9-inch (23 cm) cheesecake pan, ungreased, or springform pan with 3-inch (7.5 cm) sides, greased
- Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C)
- Crust: In a bowl, combine graham cracker crumbs and butter. Press into bottom of cheesecake pan and freeze.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- Decoration: In a small bowl, whisk confectioner’s sugar with butter and hot water. Drizzle over chilled cake.
- Variation
- 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.