Caramel Apple Cheesecake
Crust:
1 ½ cups graham cracker crumbs (about 8 cookie sheets)
3 tbsp. melted butter
Cooking spray
Cheesecake:
1 ¾ cups sugar
½ cup sour cream
3 tbsp. all-purpose flour
½ tsp. ground cinnamon
1 ½ tsp. vanilla extract
¼ tsp. ground nutmeg
3 (8-oz.) blocks cream cheese, softened
4 large eggs
Topping:
½ cup sugar
3 tbsp. water
½ tsp. fresh lemon juice
1 tbsp. butter
2 tbsp. half-and-half
1 ¾ cups chopped and peeled Granny Smith apple (about 8 oz.)
Dash of nutmeg
1. Preheat oven to 350º F.
2. Make crust: Combine the crumbs and melted butter in a bowl; toss with a fork until moist. Press mixture lightly into bottom of a 9" x 9" x 2" pan coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350º F for 10 minutes. Remove from oven; cool on a wire rack. Reduce oven temperature to 325º F.
3. Make filling: Place 1 ¾ cups sugar and next 7 ingredients (through cream cheese) in processor (or blender); process until smooth. Add eggs, one at a time; process until blended. Pour mixture into prepared pan. Place pan in a large roasting pan; add hot water to larger pan to a depth of 1 inch.
4. Bake at 325º F for 1 hour or until cheesecake center barely moves when pan is touched. Remove from oven; let stand in water bath 10 minutes. Run a knife around outside edge of cheesecake. Remove pan from water bath; cool on a wire rack to room temperature. Cover and chill at least 8 hours.
5. To prepare topping: Combine ½ cup sugar, 3 tbsp. water, and lemon juice in a small, heavy saucepan; cook over medium-high heat until sugar dissolves, stirring frequently. Cook 4 minutes or until golden (do not stir). Remove from heat. Add butter to pan; gently stir until butter melts. Stir in half-and-half. Cool slightly.
6. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Chop apples into small cubes. Add apple cubes to pan; sauté 5 minutes or until lightly browned. Stir in sugar mixture and nutmeg. Cook until juices evaporate and mixture starts to thicken. Let cool. Cut cake into 16 squares or 32 bars. Top each piece with a small amount of apples.
