"When I was 17 I went to live with the wonderful Mestro family in Dover, Delaware. I keep going back to visit on a regular basis ( that poor family) and my host mother is the best cook and made this pie last weekend – delicious – crunchy apples, creamy centre and light pastry – how good is that?"

Filling

250g traditional cream cheese

1/4 cup sugar

1 egg

1/2 tsp vanilla

 

Topping

1/4 cup sugar

1/2 tsp cinnamon

4 cups peeled and sliced apples

3 Tbsp apple or other fruit jelly

 

Pastry

125 g butter (room temperature)

1/3 cup sugar

1/2 tsp vanilla

1 cup flour

 

Method

Make pastry first. Beat butter and sugar, add vanilla. On low speed in your mixer add flour. Shape into a ball in cling wrap. Place in fridge and rest 30 mins.

Press pastry in a greased 23cm spring form pan bottom and up the sides.

Filling: beat cream cheese and sugar add egg and vanilla for about one minute. Spread over pastry.

 

Topping: combine sugar/cinnamon, add sliced apples, toss to coat. Arrange the slices in a circular pattern on cream cheese. Bake 225 deg.C for 10 mins reduce to 200degc and bake for 25 mins.

Gently heat the jelly and brush over the pie after it is cooked.

Cool and serve at room temperature with whipped cream and leftovers go into the fridge.