Caramel Apple Cheesecake
Submitted by rcjunkie
Caramel apple cheesecake on a graham cracker crust with a gooey caramel layer, cinnamon-apple cream cheese filling, and a caramel-apple-pecan topping. A fall showstopper dessert.
YIELD
12 servingsPREP
40 minCOOK
55 minREADY
95 minThis cheesecake stacks every fall flavor into one pan. A buttery graham cracker crust gets a thick layer of melted caramel and pecans before the filling even goes in, creating a gooey, candy-like base that stays chewy under the cream cheese layer.
Chopped Golden Delicious apples tossed with flour and cinnamon are folded right into the cream cheese batter. The flour keeps them from sinking to the bottom, and they soften just enough during baking to give each slice little pockets of spiced fruit.
The grand finale comes 40 minutes into baking: the reserved caramel gets mixed with more chopped apples and spread on top along with the rest of the pecans, then everything goes back in the oven for another 15 minutes. That final bake caramelizes the topping into a sticky, nutty crown.
Kitchen Tips
- Stir the caramels constantly over low heat. They burn easily and seize up if the heat is too high
- Add eggs one at a time and don’t overbeat. Excess air causes cracks on top
- Use Golden Delicious apples. They hold their shape during baking better than softer varieties
- Chill the cheesecake completely before cutting for the cleanest slices
Variations
- Add a drizzle of salted caramel sauce over each slice before serving
- Swap pecans for walnuts or candied pecans for extra crunch
- Use a gingersnap crust instead of graham cracker for a spicier base
Ingredients
Directions
Preheat oven to 350℉ (180℃).
Combine graham cracker crumbs, ¼ cup sugar and butter, press onto sides and bottom of a 9 inch springform pan.
Unwrap caramels and place in a 2-qt heavy saucepan.
Add evaporated milk. Melt caramels over low heat, stirring until smooth.
Reserve ½ cup melted caramel mixture and pour remaining caramel mixture over crust in pan.
Sprinkle half of the chopped pecans over caramel in crust.
Beat cream cheee and ½ cup sugar until smooth. Add eggs, one at a time, beating until smooth after each addition.
Toss together 1 cup of chopped apples, flour and cinnamon, and fold into cream cheese mixutre.
Spoon cream cheese mixture over caramel crust.
Bake 40 minutes.
Combine reserved caramel and remaining ½ cup chopped apples. Spread over cheesecake and sprinkle with remaining pecans.
Continue baking 15 minutes.
Loosen cake from rim of pan.
Chill before serving. Refrigerate unused portion.
Makes 12 servings!!!
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