Single unbaked pie crust fitted to 9-inch pie plate (see note)
Apple Filling:
1tablespoonbutter
4apples, cored, peeled, and chopped
Pinchof salt
1teaspoonground cinnamon
¼cup(53g)packed light brown sugar
Cheesecake Custard:
4ounces(113g)cream cheese, softened
Pinchof salt
⅓cup(71g)granulated sugar
2large eggs
1teaspoonvanilla extract
⅓cup(75g)sour cream
Sour Cream Topping:
⅔cup(151g)sour cream
2tablespoonspowdered sugar
Instructions
In a large 12-inch skillet or in a saucepan over medium heat, melt the 1 tablespoon butter for the apple filling. Add the apples, salt, cinnamon, and sugar. Cook the mixture, stirring often, until the apples are tender and the liquid is thick and syrupy, 10 minutes or so.
Let the apple mixture cool to room temperature (you don't want to pour it into the pie shell while it's warm). It will cool more quickly if you scrape it into another dish and refrigerate. But if you don't want to wash another dish, I get it. Just let it cool in the pan. The apple mixture can be made ahead of time and refrigerated for a day or so.
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
For the cheesecake layer, beat the cream cheese, salt and sugar with an electric mixer until it is creamy and smooth, 1-2 minutes. Add the eggs and mix just until combined (over mixing can cause the cheesecake layer to crack while baking). Stir in the vanilla and sour cream.
Layer the apple mixture into the bottom of the unbaked pie shell. Spread the cheesecake filling evenly over the top.
Bake the pie at 400 degrees for 10 minutes. Without removing the pie, reduce the heat to 325 degrees and bake for 35-45 minutes until the edges are set but the very middle of the pie is just slightly wobbly.
Check the pie during baking and cover the edges with foil or a pie shield of they are over browning.
Let the pie cool to room temperature. Mix together the sour cream and powdered sugar and spread evenly over the top of the cooled pie. Refrigerate for 1-2 hours (or up to overnight) before serving.
Notes
Pie Crust: just to reiterate the instructions in the recipe, you will want to have an unbaked pie crust fitted into a 9-inch pie plate for this recipe. Keep it lightly covered with plastic wrap in the refrigerator until ready to use.Pie Recipe: crust recipe and tutorial here chilled until ready to use.Apples: you can really use any type of apple you prefer here. Honeycrisp are delicious in this pie as well as Jonagold, Fuji or Gala. I think Granny Smith would be too tart but you could certainly experiment with them.