This is one of those
special kinds of dessert where...
a 'little' really does go a long
way...
A long time ago, I read something like this: "If you are afraid you might not have room for dessert AFTER a meal, EAT . IT. FIRST! That might work for this one... it has cheese, eggs, and fruit. Sounds like a 'meal' to me-- LOL!!!
I'm wishing I could share a piece of this with my late Mama... she sometimes mentioned, "I could go for a little piece of cheesecake-- I've only had a few little slivers through the years because it's 'rich',... but so good." (She had it right!)
I wish I could share this with..... YOU!
CRUST INGREDIENTS:
- 1 cup graham cracker crumbs
- 3 tablespoons sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 cup butter, melted
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped pecans
- 3 of 8 oz. packages cream cheese, softened
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 3 eggs
- 3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 and 1/2 cups peeled and finely chopped apples
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 6 tablespoons caramel ice cream topping, divided.
- Sweetened whipped cream (OR, whipped topping?)
- 2 tablespoons coarsely chopped pecans
- Combine the first five ingredients; using the flat bottom of something, press onto the bottom of a lightly greased 9-in. spring form pan.
- Bake the crust at 350 degrees for 10 minutes; set into refrigerator or other cool place for about 20 minutes.
- In a mixing bowl, beat softened cream cheese and sugar until smooth. (I used my Cuisinart food processor for this.) Add eggs, one at a time; beat on low (or pulse) just until combined. Stir in vanilla. Pour over baked and cooled crust. Set aside for a moment.
- Peel and chop apples*
Make the pieces of apple very small.... they don't look small in the photo below, but they are.
5. Sprinkle lemon juice over apples and gently stir to cover all; sprinkle sugar and cinnamon over apple pieces and stir to coat; now spoon apples evenly over filling.**
6. Bake at 350-degrees for 55-60 minutes or until center is almost set (until not all jiggly in the center).
8. Carefully, remove sides of pan.
9. Drizzle with 4 tablespoons caramel topping.
10. Cool for 1 hour, out of refrigerator. Chill in refrigerator overnight.
11. Just before serving, garnish with whipped cream. Drizzle with remaining caramel; sprinkle with pecans. Serve, and store what's left-over in the refrigerator.
Yield: 12 servings (or, just six servings IF it's your MEAL-- with all the cheese, eggs and apples, would that work? LOL!)
* To prepare the apples, I use my apple peeler gadget that peels, cores and slices all at the same time I then carefully remove the sliced/cored apple 'rings' from the rotating rod and set them on the cutting board. With a knife, I cut down through the 'ball' of slices, working my way around until all slices are done. (Pictured earlier in this posting.)
** You'll be able to put the apples on more evenly if you do use a spoon, as directed.
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M-m-m-m-m-m, this is good!
Going...
Going......
...GONE!
So, what about the other pieces-- the left-overs?
Below, I'll show you...
I put large individual pieces, which are enough for two servings, into a container and freeze them. After these are frozen solid (overnight), I'll vacuum pack them. Dessert for ...'the future'. Doing this saves me from having to wear the hand/arm cuffs I'd certainly need if they were left to sit in the refrigerator all ready to go-- ready to go 'down the hatch', that is!!!
This recipe was adapted from one submitted by Debbie Wilson, Sellersburg, Indiana, in the 2006 edition of Taste of Home's Contest Winning Annual Recipes 2005. Debbie said this was her most-often-requested dessert and it received more compliments than anything else she's made. Thanks, Debbie.
(I hope her area in Indiana isn't one that was repeatedly hit with deadly tornadoes over the past two days!-- but, I wish NONE of ANY area had been hit!!!!!!)
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