Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F). Use a food processor to finely grind the cookies. Add sugar and 50 grams of softened butter. It's best to take the butter out of the fridge 20–30 minutes before you start cooking, depending on the room temperature. If you forget, you can soften the butter slightly in the microwave, but avoid melting it completely. Mix the ingredients until they are well combined. 

Apply a thin, even layer of the remaining butter on the pan’s surface, then transfer the cookie mixture to the pan. Spread it evenly, pressing the crumbs firmly into the bottom to form the crust. Bake for 10 minutes.

Once the crust is ready, remove it from the oven and let it cool for at least 10 minutes.

In a pan, melt butter over medium heat. Add diced apples, sugar, and cinnamon. Cook for 5 minutes or until apples soften slightly. Set aside until the apples have cooled.

You can use all the apples for the layer or you can keep a few slices for decoration as well. 

Blend cottage cheese until smooth. Add Greek yogurt, eggs, dulce de leche, vanilla, cornstarch or rice flour. Blend until creamy.

Pour half of the cheesecake batter over the crust. Layer the cooked apples evenly on top. Pour the remaining batter over the apples. Swirl extra dulce de leche on top (optional).

Bake at 180°C (350°F) for 10 minutes, then reduce the temperature to 130°C (265°F) and continue baking for 30–40 minutes until the cheesecake is cooked through (the center is slightly jiggly but set around the edges).

Let the cheesecake cool completely before serving or decorating. I'd recommend chilling it in the fridge before slicing.

Warm 3 tbsp of dulce de leche with milk or cream until smooth. If the mixture is too thick, add more milk or cream. If it’s too runny, use less.

Pour over the chilled cheesecake and spread gently. Let it set in the fridge for 15-30 minutes before serving. 

Decorate with apple slices, fresh mint, or toppings of your choice.