Two Seasonal Desserts Combine to Make a Smothered in Sweetness Delight!
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A lot of substitutions can be made on this dish, to save time. You can also buy the packs of caramel sauce in your grocery store. If you don’t have access to vanilla beans, vanilla extract will do just fine. Generic cream cheese will also work, and you can skip the brandy if you want.
Here’s what our friends over at Food Network have said about this recipe:
It was a hit! Very delicious. I made this for thanksgiving. My mom bought me a stand mixer just for this cheesecake and everyone loved it. Even my dad who doesn’t like sweets went for seconds. I highly recommend it even thought it takes a lot of work and it’s also time consuming it’s all worth it in the end.
I wish I could give this 10 stars. I made this for Christmas dinner and it was absolutely delicious! The apple brandy was hard to find but worth it. It is labor intensive so be prepared. The cheesecake is creamy and light with just the right amount of sweetness. The hint of orange is an unexpected delight. Everyone loved it.
Ingredients
8 whole graham crackers
1 cup lightly toasted walnuts, divided
2 tablespoons light brown sugar
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar, divided
1 tablespoon orange zest
3 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, at room temperature (recommended: Philadelphia)
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons packed light muscovado sugar
4 large eggs, at room temperature
1 large vanilla bean, seeds scraped
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 recipe Apple Mixture, recipe follows
1 recipe Apple Caramel Sauce, recipe follows
Apple Mixture
2 cups apple juice
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 vanilla bean, reserved from the cheesecake mixture
1 tablespoon cold butter
3 Granny Smith apples, peeled, seeded and thinly sliced
3 Fuji apples, peeled, seeded and thinly sliced
1/4 cup apple brandy (recommended: Calvados)
Apple-Caramel Sauce
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1/4 cup water
3/4 cup heavy cream
Pinch salt
3 tablespoons apple brandy (recommended: Calvados)
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Instructions:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Place the graham crackers, 1/2 cup of the walnuts and brown sugar in a food processor and process until finely ground. Add the butter through the feed tube and process until the mixture just comes together.
Spray the bottom and side of the pan with cooking spray. Pat the graham cracker mixture evenly into the bottom of a 9-inch springform pan, place on a baking sheet and bake for about 8 minutes. Remove to a baking rack and let cool completely.
Combine 1/4 cup of the sugar and the orange zest in a food processor and process until combined.
Beat the cream cheese in a separate bowl, until light and fluffy, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the orange sugar, remaining granulated sugar, and light muscovado sugar and beat again until the sugar is incorporated and the mixture is light and fluffy.
Add the eggs, 1 at a time and mix until just incorporated. Add the vanilla seeds and vanilla extract and beat until combined. Add the salt and heavy cream and mix until just combined.
Scrape the mixture into the prepared pan.
Set the cheesecake pan on a large piece of heavy duty aluminum foil and fold up the sides around it. Place the cake pan in a large roasting pan. Pour hot water into the roasting pan until the water is about halfway up the sides of the cheesecake pan. You’re going to want the foil to keep the water from seeping into the cheesecake. Bake until the sides of the cake are slightly puffed and set and the center still jiggles, about 55 minutes.
Turn the heat off and prop the door open with a wooden spoon and allow the cake to cook in the water bath for 1 hour. Remove the cake to a baking rack, let cool to room temperature for 2 hours. Cover the cake and refrigerate for at least 4 hours and up to 24 hours until chilled through.
Top with the warm apple topping, drizzle liberally with the caramel sauce and sprinkle with the remaining toasted walnuts. Serve additional sauce on the side.
Apple Mixture:
Bring apple juice, sugar and vanilla bean to a boil in a large saute pan over high heat and cook until slightly thickened and reduced to 1/2 cup. Stir in the butter until melted. Add the apples and cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly caramelized and soft. Add the apple brandy and cook until reduced by 1/2. Transfer the apples to a plate and let cool slightly.
Apple-Caramel Sauce:
Place sugar and water in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil over high heat (do not stir), swirling the pot occasionally to even out the color, until amber in color, 10 to 12 minutes.
While the caramel is cooking. Place the heavy cream in a small pan and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Remove from heat and keep warm.
When the caramel has reached the desired color, slowly whisk in the heavy cream and salt and whisk until smooth. Remove from the heat and stir in the apple brandy and vanilla extract. Keep warm.
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Quick tip: You could also serve this cheesecake without the toppings!
Thanks to Bobby Flay for this blissful caramel apple cheesecake.