Maple Cheesecake with Ginger Crust and Butterscotch Bourbon Apples
The warm flavors in this cheesecake are highly craveable and perfect for the colder months, making it an ideal winter dessert. The batter utilizes regular cream cheese, and if you can find a locally made one, that’s even better. Dark maple syrup is crucial here. The filling can be made a day ahead of time, chilled overnight and then poured directly into a room temperature crust to bake.
Ingredients
GINGER CRUST
- 1 cup whole wheat flour
- 1/3 cup brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- 2 teaspoons fresh ginger grated
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 5 tablespoons unsalted butter melted
MAPLE FILLING
- 2 pounds cream cheese room temp
- ¼ cup sugar
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- ¾ cup dark maple syrup
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 4 eggs
BOURBON BUTTERSCOTCH APPLES
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- ½ cup dark brown sugar lightly packed
- ½ cup heavy cream
- 1 large or 2 small apples a firm variety, cut into small dice
- ½ teaspoon of salt
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 or 2 tablespoons bourbon depending how boozy you like it
Instructions
- ►GINGER CRUST: Preheat oven to 325°. Lightly spray a 9” springform pan with a non-stick cooking spray and line the bottom with parchment paper. Combine flour, brown sugar, ground ginger, fresh ginger, cinnamon, and salt in a mixing bowl. Drizzle in melted butter and mix with a spatula until mixture is combined but crumbly. Gently press into prepared pan in an even layer, allowing it to come a little bit up the sides. Chill 20 minutes. Bake 20 to 25 minutes, until slightly crisp. Remove and cool completely at room temperature.
- ►MAPLE FILLING: Reduce oven to 300°. Beat cream cheese, sugar, and salt in a mixer with paddle attachment on medium speed until smooth, about one minute. Add flour and mix to fully incorporate. Scrape down bowl with a spatula. On low speed, slowly drizzle in maple syrup, making sure it incorporates evenly. Add vanilla, and then eggs one at a time, scraping down bowl as needed. Wrap bottom of pan in foil and set on a sheet pan with a rim. Pour filling evenly into crust, and place in the oven. Pour about ¾-inch hot water into sheet pan. Bake 1 hour and 30 minutes; cake should be set, yet slightly wobbly. Cool at room temperature in pan before transferring to the refrigerator to chill for at least six hours or overnight.
- ► BOURBON BUTTERSCOTCH APPLES: Melt butter over medium heat in a wide skillet. When it starts to sizzle, add brown sugar and stir well until it dissolves and begins to bubble, keeping an eye on it so it doesn’t scorch. Carefully add cream (mixture will bubble and splatter), stirring to emulsify. Simmer for one minute. Reduce heat to medium-low, add apples, cinnamon, and salt and stir gently to coat apples with sauce. Cook and stir until apples are a little tender but still hold their shape, about three minutes. Remove from heat, add bourbon and stir to combine. (You can make this up to four days ahead of time and reheat gently before serving.)
- ►TO SERVE: Release latch on the springform pan and remove ring. Transfer cake to a serving platter and cut into 8 to 12 slices. Serve with apples alongside.
