No Bake Apple Butter Cheesecake with Caramel Jelly

Name: No Bake Apple Butter Cheesecake with Caramel Jelly
Prep time: 30 min
Total time: 270 min
Ingredients: 250 grams crushed biscuits; 150 grams melted butter; 300 grams cooking apples, cut into chunks; 70 grams sugar; 2 tsp ground cinnamon; 350 grams cream cheese; 130 grams caster sugar; 200 grams cream; 1 tsp vanilla; 7 grams powdered gelatin, or 4 leaves gelatin; 80 grams caster sugar; 160 grams water; 2 grams powdered gelatin or 2 leaves gelatin

November 1, 2021By pinkhairedpastrychef2

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This No Bake Apple Butter Cheesecake with Caramel Jelly is such a delicious and fun way to enjoy the flavours of apple and caramel together. It’s got a crisp, buttery base, a tangy apple butter layer followed by a smooth and creamy cream cheese filling and topped with a tasty caramel jelly. Plus, it looks super appealing with all the layers. It takes a little longer than the recipes I usually share but it’s totally worth it. Each step is pretty easy. The hardest part of this recipe is waiting for each layer to set.

So how do I make this No Bake Apple Butter Cheesecake with Caramel Jelly from scratch?

This recipe can be broken down into a few easy steps;

Biscuit Base
Apple Butter
Cream Cheese Filling
Caramel Jelly

Biscuit Base

To begin making this recipe, crush your biscuits of choice into small crumbs. You can do this by either whizzing them up in a food processor or by placing the biscuits into a ziploc bag and hitting it with a rolling pin until you get crumbs. Add the biscuit crumbs to a mixing bowl and pour over the melted butter. Mix together until all the crumbs are coated. Line a 10 inch springform cake tin, like this one. Scoop the biscuit crumbs into the base of the cake tin and spread evenly. Use the bottom of a cup measurer to press down firmly. Pop into the fridge to chill while you prepare the other layers.

Apple Butter

To make the apple butter, peel and core the cooking apples and cut into small chunks. Place into a saucepan along with brown sugar and cinnamon. Cook on a low/medium heat for 10-15 minutes until the apple has broken down and become smooth. There may be some tiny pieces of apple left in your butter. If you want it completely sooth, you can cook down for a couple more minutes while stirring often, or you can blend it with a hand blender. Allow to cool slightly before spreading evenly over the base of the cheesecake. Place in the fridge again while you prepare the cream cheese filling.

Cream Cheese Filling

To make the cream cheese filling, add the cream cheese and sugar to a large mixing bowl. Beat together using an electric whisk for 1-2 minutes until smooth. In a small saucepan, add 50 grams of cream and warm gently. When it starts to bubble slightly, remove from the heat ad sprinkle over the powdered gelatin and whisk. If you are using leaf gelatin, soak the leaves in cold water for a couple minutes before adding to the hot cream. Leave to melt for 1-2 minutes before whisking in the remaining cream. Pour over the cream cheese and whisk together until no lumps remain. Gently pour over the apple butter layer and chill for at least 2 hours before starting on the jelly layer.

Caramel Jelly

To make this caramel jelly, we begin by making a dry caramel. Start off by placing 2 tablespoons of sugar into a small saucepan on a low heat. Allow the sugar to fully melt and barely caramelise before mixing in another tablespoon of sugar with a wooden spoon.

Once all the sugar has been added, allow to caramelise to a dark golden brown. Add in the water It’s likely it will spit and start to seize up slightly, this is fine. Turn the heat up to medium and continue cooking for another minute or two until all the sugar has dissolved again.

While that is dissolving, take 2 tbsp of boiled water and place into a small bowl. Sprinkle over the powdered gelatin and mix well. Leave to stand until the granules have melted. Take the caramel off the heat and whisk in the melted gelatin. If using leaf gelatin soak for 2-3 minutes in cold water before adding to the hot caramel.

Remove the set cheesecake from the fridge and very gently pour the caramel jelly over the cream cheese layer. Return to the fridge and chill for at least 2-3 hours, or preferably overnight, until set.

No Bake Apple Butter Cheesecake with Caramel Jelly FAQ

Can I freeze the cheesecake to speed up the setting?

You can, but I wouldn’t advise it. It doesn’t really speed up the process that much, and you run the risk of the jelly or cream cheese filling separating when defrosted.

What kind of biscuits should I use?

Whatever your favourite is! I used digestive biscuits for this one but you could use graham crackers, ginger biscuits, oat biscuits, even gluten free biscuits if you want.

Oops, I left my gelatin too long and it hardened, what do I do?

Don’t panic! If it’s still in the liquid you melted it in you can do a number of things. You can add a drop or two of boiling water and whisk vigorously to melt it. You can also pop it back into a saucepan and heat on low wile stirring constantly to remelt it.

I left my gelatin too long and now my cream cheese mix is lumpy.

If you happened to add your gelatin when it wasn’t quite melted or you left it stand too long before adding to the cream cheese mix, there is a way to save it. Ensure your cream cheese mix is in either a metal bowl or a sturdy, heat safe plastic bowl. Place a medium saucepan on a low heat filled up 1/3 with hot water. Place the bowl of cream cheese mix over it and allow to melt slowly while whisking constantly. As soon as the lumps disappear, take off the heat and pour into your prepared tin immediately.

My caramel went grainy when I added water. How do I fix it?

It’s likely that once you add the water to the caramel for the jelly layer, that the sugar will start to seize up a little. This is totally normal and fine. Turn the heat up a little bit ad continue cooking until the sugar has dissolved again.

Equipment for this recipe

Mixing Bowls – Click Here

Hand Mixer – Click Here

10 Inch Springform Cake Tin – Click Here

Measuring Cups Set – Click Here

Saucepans – Click Here

Whisks – Click Here

For more Cheesecake Recipes, check out my Spiced Pumpkin Cheesecake or my Salted Caramel Pecan Baked Cheesecake.

If you’re interested in more No Bake Dessert Recipes, why not take a peek at my No Bake Desserts Category, here?

No Bake Apple Butter Cheesecake with Caramel Jelly

pinkhairedpastrychef

Delicious no bake st cheesecake with a layer of apple butter and caramel jelly.

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Prep Time 30 mins

Chill 4 hrs

Total Time 4 hrs 30 mins

Course Dessert

Cuisine Dessert

Servings 10 slices

Calories 528 kcal

Equipment

10 inch round cake tin, preferably loose bottom
Small Bowl
Large mixing bowl
Whisk
Small saucepan
Rubber spatula