1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Lightly grease a 9 inches (24cm) springform tin and set aside. Add the cookies to a freezer bag and crush with a rolling pin until you get fine crumbs. Add the melted and cooled butter, and salt to the bag and mix until well combined. Pour into the springform tin and press to the bottom to get one even layer. Bake for about 10 minutes. Take out of the oven and let cool down a bit. Do not turn off the oven.

 

2. For the apple filling peel the apples, quarter and core, then cut into dices. Add the butter, brown sugar, ground cinnamon, and cardamom to a large pot and eat up until the butter has halted. Add the diced apples and mix until everything is well combined. Let simmer for about 5 minutes. Take off the heat and let cool down.

 

3. Add the soft butter and sugar to a large bowl and mix on high speed until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one after another and mix well after each addition. Add the curd (quark) and vanilla extract to the bowl and mix in. Sift the cornstarch into the bowl and mix in. Add about 1/3 of the mixture on top of the pre-baked crust and spread evenly. Add about half of the apples on top and cover with another third of the quark filling, then add another layer of apples and finish with the remaining quark filling. Sprinkle the sliced almonds and brown sugar on top and bake for about 60 minutes. Turn off the oven and leave the cake inside for another 30 minutes, then open the oven a bit and let the cake in there 20-30 minutes more. Remove from the oven and let cool down completely on a wire rack. Place the cooled cheesecake for 2-3 hours in the fridge to firm up. Remove from the tin before slicing and serve with some whipped cream.