• Preheat oven to 350℉. Gather your ingredients so that you have everything close at hand on the counter or table.
• Coat the bottom and sides of a 9" springform pan with cooking spray, then dust pan with about 2 tablespoons semolina flour, tapping out the excess.
• Using a fine-edged grater, grate the lemon zest.

Make the Cheesecake

• In a food processor, combine 1/2 cup of the granulated sugar and the lemon zest. Process until moist about 15 seconds.
• Add the ricotta and cream cheese and process until smooth, about 30 seconds, scraping down the sides as needed.
• Mix in the semolina flour, egg yolks, apple juice, lemon juice, and salt. Process again until combined about 15 seconds. Transfer to a large bowl.
• In a stand mixer, whisk the egg whites on medium high until light and foamy. Slowly add the remaining 1/4 cup of granulated sugar and whip on high until they form firm peaks about 2-3 minutes.
• Add a third of the egg whites to the creamed cheese mixture, stirring until combined. Lightly fold in the remaining egg whites until just incorporated.
• Transfer batter to prepared pan and spread into an even layer. Tap on the counter to release any large air bubbles.
• Bake in preheated oven for 40-45 minutes, until the top is lightly browned and the cake is just set, but still jiggles when shaken. (It is okay for an Italian cheesecake to crack on top, as this is part of its settling process.)
• Cool completely in the pan on a wire rack, about 1 hour. Cover and refrigerate for another 2 hours before removing from pan. Garnish with Apple Topping. Serves 8-10.

Make the Apple Topping

• Core, peel, and dice one apple into small pieces.
• In a small saucepan, combine the diced apple, brown sugar, lemon juice, butter, ground cinnamon, and freshly ground nutmeg.
• Bring to a boil, and then reduce heat to a simmer. Cook for 10 minutes until the apples are nice and tender and the sauce has thickened slightly. Cool completely.
• Serve individual slices of cheesecake with apple topping, English walnuts, and then drizzle each serving with caramel sauce. Serves 8-10.