A creamy baked cheesecake layered with buttery Plazma biscuit crumbs, cinnamon apples, homemade caramel, and another sprinkle of Plazma. This is where a familiar Balkan biscuit meets classic apple cheesecake — simple, cozy, and incredibly delicious.

Why I Love This Cheesecake

I wanted to take flavors that feel very familiar in Balkan kitchens — Plazma biscuits, apples, cinnamon, and caramel — and bring them together in a cheesecake that feels completely at home anywhere in the world.

The result is a creamy cheesecake with a thin layer of warm cinnamon apples between the Plazma crust and cheesecake filling, finished with homemade caramel and more Plazma crumbs.

It is simple enough for a family dessert, but beautiful enough for a special table.

Plazma Apple Cheesecake

Pan: 9-inch round springform pan
Oven: 325°F
Style: Baked cheesecake

Ingredients

Plazma Crust

• 1¼ cups finely ground Plazma biscuits
• ¼ cup (57 g) unsalted butter, melted

Cinnamon Apple Layer

• 3 medium apples, about 450–500 g before peeling
• 2 tbsp brown sugar
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon

Cheesecake Filling

• 750 g Philadelphia cream cheese, softened to room temperature
• ¾ cup (150 g) packed brown sugar
• 1 tbsp vanilla extract
• 3 large eggs, room temperature

Homemade Caramel

• ½ cup (100 g) packed brown sugar
• 3 tbsp heavy cream
• 2 tbsp unsalted butter
• Pinch of salt
• ½ tsp vanilla extract

Topping

• 2–3 tbsp finely crushed Plazma biscuits

Instructions

1. Prepare the Plazma Crust

Preheat the oven to 325°F (165°C).

Line the bottom of a 9-inch springform pan with parchment paper.

Mix the finely ground Plazma biscuits with melted butter until the mixture resembles wet sand.

Press it firmly and evenly into the bottom of the pan.

Bake for 8–10 minutes. Remove from the oven and let it cool slightly.

2. Make the Cinnamon Apple Layer

Peel, core, and dice the apples into small pieces.

Place the apples, brown sugar, and cinnamon in a skillet over medium heat.

Cook for approximately 6–10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the apples are tender and the excess moisture has cooked away.

You want the apples soft and flavorful, but not wet. Let them cool completely.

Spread the apples evenly over the Plazma crust.

Keep the layer relatively thin — approximately 5 mm.

3. Make the Cheesecake Filling

Beat the softened cream cheese and brown sugar until smooth and creamy.

Add the vanilla and mix briefly.

Add the eggs one at a time, mixing just until incorporated after each addition.

Do not overmix the batter once the eggs are added.

Pour the cheesecake mixture gently over the cooled apple layer.

Smooth the top.

4. Bake

Bake at 325°F (165°C) for approximately 45–55 minutes.

The cheesecake is ready when the edges look set but the center still has a gentle jiggle.

Turn off the oven and leave the cheesecake inside with the door slightly open for about 15 minutes.

Remove it from the oven and allow it to cool completely at room temperature.

Refrigerate for at least 4 hours, preferably overnight, before removing it from the springform pan.

5. Make the Homemade Caramel

Place the brown sugar, heavy cream, butter, and salt in a small saucepan.

Cook over medium-low heat, stirring continuously, until the butter melts and the mixture becomes smooth and glossy.

Simmer gently for about 2–3 minutes, stirring constantly.

Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla.

Let the caramel cool for several minutes. It should still be pourable but not hot.

6. Finish the Cheesecake

Remove the chilled cheesecake from the springform pan.

Pour the caramel over the top. 

Finish with a generous sprinkle of crushed Plazma biscuits.

For the cleanest slices, refrigerate the finished cheesecake for another 20–30 minutes before cutting.

Important Tips

Cook the apples until they are fairly dry. Excess apple liquid can make the cheesecake layer soggy.

Do not make the apple layer too thick. The cheesecake should remain the star of the dessert.

Do not overbake. A slight jiggle in the center is exactly what you want.

Cool completely before adding caramel. Warm caramel on a warm cheesecake can become too runny.

For beautiful slices: use a sharp knife warmed under hot water and wiped dry between cuts.

Storage

Store the cheesecake covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.

Because of the cream cheese filling, keep it refrigerated.

A Little Balkan Twist

Plazma biscuits are one of those familiar flavors that can instantly bring a Balkan dessert feeling to the table. Here they are paired with apples and cinnamon — flavors that are familiar far beyond the Balkans — and transformed into a creamy cheesecake.

It is not a traditional Balkan cheesecake. It is my Balkan-inspired way of giving familiar flavors a new life.

Recipe at a Glance

Plazma crust → cinnamon apples → creamy cheesecake → homemade caramel → Plazma crumbs.

Simple layers. Big flavor.

Plazma čizkejk sa jabukama

Kremasti pečeni čizkejk sa puterastom Plazma korom, tankim slojem jabuka sa cimetom, domaćim karamelom i još malo Plazma mrvica preko svega.

Ovo je spoj ukusa koji su nam veoma poznati — Plazma, jabuke, cimet i karamela — u jednom modernom čizkejku koji je jednostavan, mirisan i prelep za posluženje.

Zašto volim ovaj čizkejk

Želela sam da spojim ukuse koji imaju posebno mesto u balkanskim kuhinjama — Plazma keks, jabuke, cimet i karamel — i napravim desert koji je poznat, ali ipak malo drugačiji.

Rezultat je kremasti čizkejk sa tankim slojem jabuka sa cimetom između Plazma kore i kremastog fila, završen domaćim karamelom i dodatkom Plazma mrvica.

Jednostavan je za porodični sto, ali dovoljno poseban za praznike i proslave.

Plazma čizkejk sa jabukama

Kalup: okrugli kalup sa obručem, 23 cm / 9 inča
Temperatura: 165°C / 325°F
Vrsta: pečeni čizkejk

Sastojci

Plazma kora

• 1¼ šolje fino mlevene Plazme
• ¼ šolje (57 g) otopljenog neslanog putera

Sloj jabuka sa cimetom

• 3 srednje jabuke, oko 450–500 g pre ljuštenja
• 2 kašike smeđeg šećera
• 1 kašičica cimeta

Fil od krem sira

• 750 g Philadelphia krem sira, omekšalog na sobnoj temperaturi
• ¾ šolje (150 g) smeđeg šećera
• 1 kašika ekstrakta vanile
• 3 velika jajeta, sobne temperature

Domaći karamel

• ½ šolje (100 g) smeđeg šećera
• 3 kašike slatke pavlake za šlag
• 2 kašike neslanog putera
• prstohvat soli
• ½ kašičice ekstrakta vanile

Za završni sloj

• 2–3 kašike fino izmrvljenje Plazme

Priprema

1. Priprema Plazma kore

Zagrejte rernu na 165°C / 325°F.

Dno kalupa obložite papirom za pečenje.

Pomešajte mlevenu Plazmu sa otopljenim puterom. Smesa treba da izgleda kao vlažan pesak.

Ravnomerno je utisnite na dno kalupa.

Pecite 8–10 minuta. Izvadite iz rerne i ostavite da se malo prohladi.

2. Priprema jabuka

Jabuke oljuštite, očistite od semenki i isecite na sitnije kockice.

Stavite ih u tiganj zajedno sa smeđim šećerom i cimetom.

Dinstajte na srednjoj temperaturi oko 6–10 minuta, povremeno mešajući, dok jabuke ne omekšaju i višak tečnosti ne ispari.

Jabuke treba da budu mekane i mirisne, ali ne smeju biti vodene.

Ostavite ih da se potpuno ohlade.

Ravnomerno ih rasporedite preko Plazma kore.

Sloj treba da bude tanak — oko 5 mm.

3. Priprema fila

Omekšali krem sir i smeđi šećer umutite dok ne dobijete glatku i kremastu smesu.

Dodajte vanilu i kratko promešajte.

Dodajte jedno po jedno jaje i nakon svakog samo kratko promešajte, tek toliko da se sjedini.

Nemojte previše mutiti nakon dodavanja jaja.

Sipajte fil preko potpuno ohlađenih jabuka.

Pažljivo poravnajte površinu.

4. Pečenje

Pecite na 165°C / 325°F oko 45–55 minuta.

Čizkejk je gotov kada su ivice stegnute, a sredina se još uvek blago pomera kada prodrmate kalup.

Isključite rernu i ostavite čizkejk unutra oko 15 minuta, sa malo odškrinutim vratima rerne.

Izvadite ga i ostavite da se potpuno ohladi na sobnoj temperaturi.

Zatim ga stavite u frižider najmanje 4 sata, a najbolje preko noći.

5. Domaći karamel

U malu šerpicu stavite smeđi šećer, slatku pavlaku, puter i prstohvat soli.

Kuvajte na srednje niskoj temperaturi uz stalno mešanje dok se puter ne istopi i smesa ne postane glatka i sjajna.

Lagano kuvajte još oko 2–3 minuta, uz stalno mešanje.

Sklonite sa šporeta i umešajte vanilu.

Ostavite nekoliko minuta da se karamel prohladi. Treba da ostane tečan, ali ne sme biti vruć.

6. Završavanje

Ohlađen čizkejk izvadite iz kalupa.

Prelijte ga karamelom i pustite da se prirodno sliva prema ivicama.

Preko karamela pospite još malo izmrvljenje Plazme.

Za najlepše parčiće, vratite čizkejk u frižider još 20–30 minuta pre sečenja.

Važni saveti

Jabuke moraju biti dobro prodinstane. Ako ostane mnogo tečnosti, kora može postati gnjecava.

Nemojte praviti debeo sloj jabuka. Želimo da se osećaju, ali da kremasti čizkejk ostane glavni deo deserta.

Nemojte prepeći čizkejk. Blago pomeranje sredine je poželjno.

Prelivajte hladan čizkejk. Karamel treba malo da se prohladi pre nego što ga stavite preko kolača.

Za lepe i čiste parčiće: zagrejte nož pod toplom vodom, obrišite ga i secite. Ponovite između rezova.

Čuvanje

Čuvajte čizkejk pokriven u frižideru do 4 dana.

Zbog krem sira mora biti u frižideru.

Balkanski twist

Plazma je jedan od onih ukusa koji odmah unose poznatu notu balkanskih poslastica. Ovde je spajamo sa jabukama i cimetom — ukusima koji su poznati mnogo šire od Balkana — i pretvaramo ih u kremasti čizkejk.

Ovo nije tradicionalni balkanski čizkejk. Ovo je moj način da poznatim ukusima dam novi život.

Ukratko

Plazma kora → jabuke sa cimetom → kremasti čizkejk → domaći karamel → Plazma mrvice.