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Caramel Apple Cheesecake Recipe

Caramel Apple Cheesecake Recipe – This is the first-place winning dessert recipe for the 2011 Art and Apples Festival in Downtown Rochester MI.
Oakland County Moms will feature the prize-winning recipes from the 2011 Art and Apples Festival at Rochester Municipal Park in Rochester. The first-place prize for the Art and Apples Dessert category was awarded to Earl Miller of Lake Orion for his Caramel Apple Cheesecake recipe.

Caramel Apple Cheesecake Recipe
by Earl Miller

Caramel Apple Cheesecake Recipe Ingredients

Crust
1-3/4 cup Cinnamon Graham crumbs
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
8 tablespoon butter, melted (1 stick)

Filling
1 Tablespoon butter
5 cup peeled, diced apples (about 3/8″ – I used Granny Smith and Fuji)
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 cup apple cider
5 packages of cream cheese (8 oz each, preferable close to room temperature)
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 cup apple butter (I used a natural type with no corn syrup)
3 tablespoon flour
1/2 tablespoon vanilla
1 teaspoon cinnamon
4 eggs

Topping
4 cup peeled, sliced apples (choose firm apples meant for baking – they’ll hold shape better)
1 tablespoon butter
1/4 cup sugar (may use white or brown)
3 Tablespoon flour
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg (freshly grated is far superior to pre-ground)
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 – 1 cup apple cider

Caramel
1/2 cup sugar
3 Tablespoon unsalted butter (cut into pieces)
4 Tbs. heavy cream

Caramel Apple Cheesecake Recipe Directions

  1. Heat oven to 325F
  2. Melt 1 T. butter in large skillet and add about half the diced apples. Saute over medium to high heat until they begin to soften and show some color. Remove from skillet and add the rest of the apples; sauteing as you did the first batch. When all apples have been slightly browned, put them all back in the skillet and add the 1/2 tsp. cinnamon. Toss apples to distribute cinnamon. Add cider. Stir and turn the apples over medium heat until cider is completely evaporated. Put apple mixture aside to cool.
  3. Blend crumbs, 1/4 c. brown sugar, 1/2 t. cinnamon, and melted butter in a bowl until crumbs are saturated. Spray a 3″ deep, 10″ diameter springform pan with vegetable oil spray. Press crumb mixture into the pan, going as high on the sides as possible and packing the crumbs densely (the botom of a heavy drinking glass may help with this step). Bake the crust in the preheated oven for 10 minutes, remove from oven and let cool.
  4. In a large bowl, beat the 5 packages of cream cheese (don’t whip too much air into it) with the brown sugar, apple butter, flour, vanilla, and cinnamon. On low speed, blend in the eggs one at a time, waiting to add another until the prior one is well incorporated. Using a rubber spatula, scrape around the bottom and sides of the bowl to ensure all material is well blended. Scoop out about 2 c. of the cream cheese mixture and blend the cooled, sauteed apples into it. Spread this evenly over the bottom of the prepared crust, then add the rest of the cream cheese mixture and level it out in the pan.
  5. Bake at 325F for 80 to 90 minutes. Cheesecake is done when the center moves only slightly when the pan is shaken, or when a knife inserted near center comes out moist but clean. Cool cheesecake to near room temperature (about 2 hours), and refrigerate overnight. Remove from pan and place on a large, rimmed cake plate.
  6. For topping, blend together dry ingredients and set aside. Melt 1 T. butter in large skillet and saute the sliced apples as you did the diced ones earlier. Once they’re about half-cooked, sprinkle the combined dry ingredients over the apples, tossing to coat and continuing to saute for a minute. Add cider and stir, adding more if necessary to make a thick sauce. Reduce heat to low and continue to cook until apple slices are cooked but firm. Drain the slices, reserving the sauce, and let cool. May be made ahead (such as while the cheesecake is baking).
  7. For caramel, place sugar in a heavy saucepan with high sides and melt over medium heat. Watch carefully and do not stir until completely melted and beginning to brown. Remove pan from heat and stir in butter pieces. Be careful – sugar may foam up when butter is added. Return to heat and stir until smooth, then remove again and stir in cream. Again, beware of the potential for foaming. Stir vigorously until caramel is smooth, then set aside to cool.
  8. To garnish, pour enough of the sauce onto the cake to cover the top (you’ll probably have to spread it with a spatula), then arrange the cooled apple slices on top of the cake. Drizzle caramel over the apples and around the edge, allowing it to drop down the sides of the cake.
  9. Best sliced with a think knife that’s been dipped in very hot water and wiped dry – will be somewhat moister than a plain cheesecake. Refrigerate leftovers for up to 3 days.

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