Ingredients: 1 1/2 cups baking apples (e.g. Granny Smith or Cortland), peeled and diced**,2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder,1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar,1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar,1/2 cup butter,12 oz cream cheese,3 eggs,1 1/2 cups flour,2 tablespoons granulated sugar,2 tablespoons ground cinnamon,1/4 cup chopped pecans,1/2 teaspoon salt,** Baking Apples are apples that have a good sweet-tart balance and hold their shape when cooked.,4 teaspoons vanilla extract
Instructions:
- Preheat oven to 350F (180 C).
- Bake pecans in a single layer in a shallow pan for about 7-8 minutes or until lightly toasted and fragrant, stirring halfway through.
- Remove from oven, let cool down, and chop. Reserve.Reduce oven temperature to 325F (about 160 C). Grease and flour a 9-inch (22.5 cm) springform pan.
- Sprinkle pecans over bottom of the prepared pan and reserve.In a heavy-duty electric stand mixer, beat cream cheese, granulated sugar, and vanilla at medium speed until well-blended and smooth.
- Add 3 eggs (1 at a time), beating after each addition until just blended. Reserve.In a separate large bowl, whisk together brown sugar, melted butter, and remaining egg until blended. Then stir in the flour, cinnamon, baking powder, and salt.
- Add the peeled and diced apples to the mixture and stir gently. Spoon batter into prepared pan. Carefully spoon cream cheese mixture over batter.
- Bake at 325F ( about 160 C) for 70 minutes or until set.
- Remove from oven, and gently run a knife around outer edge of cheesecake to loosen from sides of pan but do NOT remove sides of pan. Cool completely in pan on a wire rack for about 2 hours.
- Remove side of the pan and transfer to a serving plate.Meanwhile, prepare Caramel Apple Topping and Caramel Sauce. Spoon topping over cheesecake; drizzle with 1/2 cup Caramel Sauce. Reserve 1 cup Caramel Sauce to drizzle over the cheesecake later if you have not served the whole dessert at once.For the Caramel Apple Topping: In a large skillet over medium heat, melt the butter; then, add both the sugar and lemon juice. Cook, stirring constantly with a long-handled wooden spoon, for 5 to 6 minutes or until mixture turns a light golden brown.
- Add the apple wedges and cook, stirring often, for 15 to 18 additional minutes or until apples are tender and caramelized.
- Remove from heat and let cool for 20 minutes.Meanwhile, prepare Caramel Apple Topping and Caramel Sauce. Spoon topping over cheesecake; drizzle with 1/2 cup Caramel Sauce. Reserve 1 cup Caramel Sauce to drizzle over the cheesecake later if you have not served the whole dessert at once.For the Caramel Sauce: In a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, bring the brown sugar, butter, whipping cream, and honey to a boil, stirring constantly; then, boil stirring constantly for 2 minutes.
- Remove from heat, stir in the vanilla, and cool 15 minutes before serving.
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