Bramley Apple Cheesecake With Stewed Blackberries

Ingredients

Cheesecake

• 570 g tart baking apples (about 2 large ones)
• 75 g caster sugar, plus (superfine)
• 3 tablespoons caster sugar
• 125 g digestive biscuits
• 50 g unsalted butter, melted
• 400 g cream cheese
• 3 large eggs
• 284 ml sour cream (divided)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 tablespoon cornflour (cornstarch)

Stewed Blackberries

• 300 g blackberries (fresh or frozen)
• 2 tablespoons caster sugar (superfine)

Directions

1. 1

   Oil an 8 inch, 20cm round springform pan and line the base with buttered baking parchment.

2. 2

   Peel, core and slice the apples; place them in a medium saucepan with 1 tablespoon of caster sugar and 2 tablespoons of water and set over a low-medium heat; cover the pan and cook slowly, stirring from time to time until the apples have cooked down to a thick puree; set aside to cool.

3. 3

   Preheat oven to 325°F, 170°C, gas mark 3.

4. 4

   Finely crush the biscuits in a food processor and tip into a bowl, pour the melted butter on to the biscuit crumbs and mix together well; press the crumbs into the base of the prepared tin then bake on the middle shelf of the oven for 5 minutes while you prepare the filling.

5. 5

   Clean the food processor bowl and blade then place the cream cheese, 75g caster sugar, eggs, half the sour cream, vanilla and cornflour in the bowl and whiz together until smooth; add the cooled apple puree and process for another 30 seconds.

6. 6

   Pour the mixture carefully over the biscuit base and place the tin on a baking sheet (this is just for insurance; mine did not leak at all); cook on the middle shelf of the oven for 40 – 45 minutes until just set; remove from oven and allow to cool for 5 minutes.

7. 7

   While the cheesecake is cooling, make the topping by mixing the remaining sour cream with the remaining 2 tablespoons of caster sugar; carefully spoon the cream topping onto the cooled cheesecake; return to the oven for a further 15 minutes; allow to cool completely before chilling in the fridge.

8. 8

   Stewed Blackberries: Place the blackberries and caster sugar in a pan with 2 tablespoons of water (you may need less water if using frozen fruit) and cook over a low heat until the fruit becomes tender and juicy; remove the berries with a slotted spoon and place in a serving bowl; turn up the heat slightly and allow the juice to bubble gently until it is reduced by about half, then pour over the berries: serve the sauce at room temperature with the cheesecake.