1 Prepare cashews: drain soaked cashews and rinse. If short on time, soak in very hot water for 1 hour. Drain well.

2 Make the crust: pulse rolled oats and almonds in a food processor until crumbly. Add 40g maple syrup, 40g melted coconut oil and a pinch of salt; pulse until mixture sticks when pressed.

3 Press crust into a 23cm springform tin (or similar), creating an even base. Chill in the fridge while you prepare the filling.

4 Blend cheesecake filling: in a high‑speed blender combine drained cashews, coconut cream, 70g maple syrup, lemon juice, vanilla and 1/2 tsp salt. Blend until completely smooth and silky, scraping down as needed.

5 Pour filling over chilled crust, smooth the top, then return to fridge to set for at least 4 hours (or freeze 1–2 hours for quicker set).

6 Prepare apple layer: heat vegan butter/coconut oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add sliced apples, 40g maple syrup, 1 tbsp cinnamon and lemon zest; sauté until apples soften (5–8 minutes). Mix cornstarch with a little cold water, add to skillet and cook until sauce thickens. Remove from heat and cool.

7 Make crumble topping: combine remaining rolled oats, oat flour, 10g coconut sugar, 1 tbsp cinnamon, a pinch of salt and 40g melted coconut oil; toss until clumping into coarse crumbs. Optionally stir in chopped nuts.

8 Bake or toast the crumble: spread crumble on a baking sheet and bake at 180°C (350°F) for 10–12 minutes until golden, stirring once. Cool completely.

9 Assemble cheesecake: once filling is set, spoon the cooled apple mixture over the cheesecake in an even layer.

10 Scatter the cooled crumble over the apples. For a warm contrast, you can briefly broil the top for 1–2 minutes (watch carefully) or serve as is.

11 Chill for another 30 minutes to meld flavors, then remove springform ring. Garnish with extra cinnamon, nuts or a drizzle of maple syrup if desired.

12 Slice with a hot, dry knife for clean cuts. Serve chilled or at cool room temperature. Store leftovers refrigerated up to 4 days.