A winning way to use homemade apple butter

Training: Swim / Run

With my longest run completed last weekend, a taper has now begun in my training. I cant believe the race is less than 3 weeks away and we will be moving into our new house between now and then! Lots of exciting things coming up in the world of BBB that's for sure.

Today I completed a morning swim session, covering 1.5km in around 40 minutes. After work I hit the track for my interval run training session, which was a wonderful way to end the day. After a 1.6km warm up and run throughs, we completed:

• 6 x 600m with 200m recovery between each set
• 4 x 300 with 100m recovery between each set

A challenging yet rewarding interval session, with approx 8km run overall.

Baking

But enough of the training talk. I promised you one of my favourite desserts of all time. Big call. I know. But I am going there.

As you might recall, Sunday's Indian feast ended, as all good meals should end, with a little sweet treat.

But not just any sweet treat....

A slice of this glorious Apple Butter Baked Cheesecake.

Featuring my homemade apple butter, of course.

Mr BBB is a huge fan of baked cheesecake. Not anything fancy, just the standard lemon or vanilla baked cheesecake. So when I told Mr BBB that I was going to make an apple crumble baked cheesecake he gave me the look. You know the one. The "why-do-you-have-to-play-around-with-the-original-recipe" look.

But I assume the fact he went back for seconds meant that my variation was up to par!

All things considered, this was a rather easy cheesecake to make. I processed GF biscuits and, after adding some melted butter, pressed the biscuit mixture into a lined rectangle tin.

Cream cheese, eggs and sugar were mixed until well combined, together with a tin of apples, and poured atop the biscuit mix.

Next came the fun part, spoonfuls of apple butter were swirled through the cheesecake mixture.

Topped with oats, brown sugar and little butter.

 

Baked until the cheesecake had set and the oats had browned slightly.

Allowed to cool, then sliced and served.

The sweet apple butter added quite a 'zing' (is that even a word?) to the creamy cheesecake filling. So much so that I didn't bother adding any cinnamon to the crumble, as there was more than enough in the apple butter to give the whole cake a hint of spice.

The cheesecake keeps really well in the fridge, covered, so it could even be made a day in advance.

 

This also means that it can be safely eaten for several days afterwards ... well if  there is any leftovers that is ;)

Apple Butter Baked Cheesecake (wheat free)

(adapted from here)

• 250g gluten free biscuits
• 125g butter, melted
• 500g cream cheese, softened to room temperature
• 1/2 cup caster sugar
• 3 eggs
• 300g canned apple slices
• 1/2 cup apple butter
• 1/2 cup rolled oats
• 1/8 cup brown sugar
• 1/8 cup GF flour
• 30g chilled butter, chopped

1. Preheat oven to 160C. Line base and sides of a rectangle baking tray with paper, allowing the edges to overhang.
2. Process biscuits in a food processor, then add melted butter. Mix until combined, then press into lined pan. Refrigerate.
3. Beat cream cheese and sugar, then add eggs one at a time (making sure each is incorporated well before adding another).
4. Add apple slices to cream cheese mixture and combine well. Pour into prepared pan.
5. Dollop apple butter on top, and use a skewer to ‘swirl’ through the mix.
6. In a separate bowl, place oats, flour and sugar. Rub in butter until combined. Sprinkle on top of the cheesecake.
7. Bake for 50-60 minutes or until set and the ‘crumble’  has browned slightly.
8. Allow to cool in pan, then slice and serve.

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I should also have mentioned the other day that the apple butter will store safely in the fridge for several weeks in an airtight container and / or can be frozen.  My recipe yielded two large jarfuls - one of which I have kept in the fridge for daily consumption, and the other I have frozen for use on Christmas day!

But of course apple butter can be used in many ways other than just in a cheesecake....

Why don't you also try....

• Using it as a sandwich spread (think brie, turkey and apple butter sandwich mmmm)
• Using it as an accompaniment to chicken, pork or turkey
• Using it in baking to replace some or all of the oil required
• Warming it up and to with ice-cream
• Drizzling it on pancakes or your morning oatmeal (my other favourite at the moment!)
• Mixing it with yoghurt or cottage cheese for a tasty snack

The possibilities really are endless!

What about you? What is your favourite dessert of all time?

Happy Baking :)