Are you the type of person that associates food with wonderful memories? You know, how every time you bite into a creamsicle you’re transported to the childhood summer you learned to swim? Well, today I’m teaming up with Stella cheeses to bring you a yummy recipe that conjures up a night out, enjoying dinner and a show. Living in Manhattan, some of my favorite memories are the nights when I catch a Broadway show with my sweetie and we indulge in a good ol’ New York dessert afterwards. So to commemorate this happy occasion, I’ve created “The Big Apple” recipe – a Stella Fontinella and Ricotta cheese stuffed apple topped off with biscotti crumbles and a raspberry liqueur sauce. And as a special treat, Stella cheeses is giving away a three day, two night trip to New York City with a $500 gift card, dinner for two, and two tickets to a Broadway show. Click the banner below or enter here for your chance to win and scroll down to get our delicious quintessential Manhattan dessert recipe.
Now that you’ve entered for the trip of a lifetime, let’s get down to the goods! New York City epitomizes everything that is great about America… it’s vibrant, culturally diverse, and rooted in patriotism. So, I couldn’t think of a better way to represent this great city than with a unique recipe that combines American Apple Pie and New York Style Cheesecake. Baked in a hollowed-out apple, the ricotta cheesecake filling is unexpectedly enhanced by a sharp Fontinella flavor (reminiscent of the cheddar often added to traditional apple pie recipes). Topped off with Italian biscotti and an edgy raspberry liqueur sauce, it’s the best of Manhattan on a plate!
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease a cookie sheet or 8 x 8 inch cake pan and set it aside. To make the raspberry liqueur sauce, add 1 tablespoon of raspberry liqueur, 1 tablespoon of sweetened condensed milk, and 3 tablespoons of raspberry jam to a small saucepan. Cook over medium heat until it starts to boil (approximately 1 minute). Make sure to stir the sauce continuously throughout the process. After the minute is up and/or the mixture is smooth, remove it from the heat immediately. Set the raspberry liqueur sauce aside to cool. 
For this recipe, I particularly recommend using Stella brand chesses. Stella cheeses are flavorful and combine old world craftsmanship with rich dairy heritage, so they’re a great fit for “The Big Apple”. To make the filling, add 1 cup of Ricotta cheese, 1 cup of shredded Fontinella Cheese, 1/3 cup of granulated sugar, 1 egg yolk, and 1 tablespoon of raspberry liqueur to a stand mixer. Mix on low until the ingredients are fully combined. It should have a bit of a lumpy consistency. 
Separately, whip 1 egg white until soft peaks are formed. Then add the whipped egg whites to the cheese filling. Mix gently using a spatula until fully combined. 
To prepare the apples, slice off the tops of 4 apples (as if you were cutting off a thin lid). Then with a spoon carefully gut out the center of the apples, making them into mini bowls. Make sure to leave approximately 1 centimeter thickness for the apple walls. Do not puncture the apple bottoms. 
Spoon the cheese filling into the gutted apples. Leave approximately 1/2 to 1 centimeter space at the top of the apple. 
Place the filled apples directly on the cookie sheet or cake pan and bake for approximately 20-25 minutes. 
Once fully baked, remove the apples from the oven and set aside to cool for 5 -10 minutes. 
Once slightly cooled, carefully plate the apples, top off with the crumbled biscotti, and pour the raspberry liqueur sauce on top. Enjoy! 
Special thanks to Stella cheeses for sponsoring today’s post and inspiring me to create a quintessential Manhattan dessert! For more great recipes, make sure to follow Stella cheeses on Pinterest, Facebook, and Instagram.
