Caramel Apple Cheesecake

Oh baby baby. All of you 2bits are in for a treat today! If you want a taste of heaven, well first you need to accept Jesus as your savior, but if you want a taste of heaven while here on earth, still accept Jesus as your savior and then make this cheesecake! Mmm mmmm.

2Bit had a VIP's birthday to celebrate, her super amazing sister and favorite person in the world, Bonnie. Bonnie requested cheesecake as her birthday cake, and 2bit went to work looking for the best cheesecake money could buy- not really it just sounded good. I was a little bit nervous because I have never made a cheesecake before, which is pretty ridonculous because it has been my favorite form of dessert since I was a wee one. But mama 2bit makes a delicious cheesecake; so there was never a need for me to dabble in the fine art of cheesecake making. Any hoo... as I scoured the internet to find an appealing recipe, I saw the beautiful words- caramel, apple, cheesecake. I was sold.. Mmm mmm mmm. I can't emphasize the mmmm enough.

My main problem with this cheesecake is all of the butter, in total around 1 1/2 sticks. I tried to decrease where possible, but my rule for birthday cakes is that I would rather it taste good than experiment with the fat content because when it comes down to it, you need the fatty stuff to make it taste good. BUT next time I will definitely skimp a little more to see what I can get away with. I don't think you can skimp on the crust, but I did try to skimp any where else butter was called for. Next time friends, I skimp even more...

Adapted from Annie's Eats: http://www.stumbleupon.com/su/2tYgAA/annies-eats.com/2009/10/26/caramel-apple-cheescake-pie/

Caramel Apple Cheesecake:

First, get a 9 inch springform pan and place doubled aluminum foil on the bottom. Don't be intimidated by its circular or springy nature, it is not difficult to use. The aluminum foil will keep any water from leaking into the pan when you bake the cake.

FOR THE CRUST:

1½ cups graham cracker crumbs (about 8.5 sheets o' grahams)2 ½  tbsp. sugar
½ tsp. cinnamon
5 1/3 tbsp. unsalted butter, melted

½ cup chopped pecans (optional) 

FOR THE CHEESECAKE FILLING:
3 8oz. cream cheese

~1 cup sugar
3 tsp. vanilla extract
3 large egg
3 tbsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice

FOR THE APPLE FILLING:
3 tbsp. unsalted butter
½ cup light brown sugar, tightly packed
¼ tsp. salt
1 tsp. cinnamon

1 tsp -1 tbl of almond milk
5-6 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and thinly sliced

FOR THE CARAMEL SAUCE:

½ c heavy whipping cream (next time will do ¼ heavy cream and ¼ almond milk)

½ c packed light brown sugar

4 tbl butter

Dash vanilla (1/2 – 1 tsp)

Light dash of salt (not even ¼ tsp)

½ tsp corn starch (optional)

Directions:
To make the crust, preheat the oven to 375° F.  Grease the bottom and sides of the springform pan. Place the springform pan into a baking sheet with raised edges (you will be adding water to it later). In a medium mixing bowl, combine the graham cracker crumbs, sugar, cinnamon and melted butter. Toss with a fork until all the crumbs are moistened and the ingredients are evenly mixed.  Transfer the mixture to the prepared springform pan and press the crumbs in an even layer over the pan bottom and as much as you can up the sides of the pan.  Bake for 6-8 minutes, until golden in color.  Let cool for about 10 minutes. Sprinkle evenly with the chopped pecans.  Refrigerate the crust while you prepare the filling.

I tried to do skimp on the butter here, but you need the crust to have enough butter so that it sticks together and sticks to the pan. But I did skimp on the sugar a tad since I knew that the party is in the caramel and the filling, both of which have plenty of sugar to make up for any lack in the crust.

Look at that delicious golden brown color..

I put pecans on only 1/2 of the crust in case someone was allergic to nuts. However, I had no way of telling which side had the pecans on it and which side didn't; so luckily no one had allergies.

Next, make the apple filling (it takes a little time), melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. (You can skimp on the butter even more than I already have here if you so choose because the apples don't really need that much).  Mix in the brown sugar, salt and cinnamon and cook for 1 minute, until bubbling.  Mix in the apple slices and toss well to coat.  Cook over medium to medium-high heat until tender and most of the liquid has been reduced, about 15-20 minutes. This will smell oooooh soooo yummy. Remove from the stove and let cool.

I used 4 apples because it seemed like a lot of apples and I didn't want it to overwhelm the cream cheese filling, which is my favorite part. But the apples really do reduce a lot in size once the water is brought out of them through this boiling process. Next time I would add 5 apples, or maybe even 6 if I am feeling extra appley.

Waft your hands toward this picture and you can potentially smell the deliciousness.

While the apples are cooking, let's make the cheesecake filling! Hoorah for cheesecake filling. It deserves many a hoorah, especially when it's smooth and creamy, like this one. Combine the cream cheese and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer and beat on medium speed until smooth, about 1 minute. Mix in the vanilla, egg and lemon juice until well blended.  Spread the cheesecake filling into an even layer over the top of the crust. 

The filling is so easy and a winner. It's exactly what you want in a cheesecake filling- creamy and thick. 2bit doesn't like when it's fluffy. Fluffy filling is baby's play, and 2bit is a woman :)

Take the apple mixture and spoon evenly onto the top of the cream cheese mixture. Try to think of the apple mixture as a blanket and the cream cheese filling as a cold child, you want to cover the cold child up with the warm blanket! No white spaces,. 2bit knows you liked that creepy analogy. 

Oh look at that warm cheesecake child.

Place a little bit of water into the baking sheet, enough to keep it moist while cooking. Cook in the oven at 350 for 15 minutes. After 15 minutes turn down the oven to 250 degrees and bake for another two and a half hours.

2Bit thinks it's time that you were all made aware of what 2Bit Joy has to work with when she cooks and what she means when she describes her oven as a fiery furnace (salted caramel cake).

This is the inside, it looks kinda old school, right?

You would be incorrect, it IS VERY old school. Please ignore the mess atop the stove.

It's almost unfortunate that it's so sturdy. I can't say I haven't wished it would break so that we would be forced to get a new one. 

But then I realize that it is actually kind of awesome. I mean, it has an outlet on top, a clock that looks like a speedometer, and you push the buttons to turn the burners on. You won't find these feature in the fancy new appliances out there.

 While the cheesecake is baking, it's time to make the caramel!! Combine the butter, heavy whipping cream, almond milk (if you don't have almond milk, just use whatever milk product you use because it will be much less fatty than whipping cream) and brown sugar in a saucepan. Stir together and add the vanilla and salt. Bring to a boil over medium to high heat. Once boiling turn to medium heat and keep low boil until it thickens, around 8 minutes. You can add the cornstarch if you fear it is not thickening enough. Once it cools, it will thicken; so don't be discouraged if at first it seems runny.Remove from burner and cool. Refrigerate until you are ready to pour over the cheesecake, which you should do the day of serving the cheesecake. 

The cheesecake is done when the outer part is firm and the center is slightly soft. Take out of the oven and let it cool on a rack. Once cooled you can cover and refrigerate. Once cooled, pour cooled caramel on top. Serve with a smile and give to your beautiful sister.

We all thought it smelled pretty yummy.

Bonnie kept trying to get us to smell the lid since "it smelled so good." I am pretty sure she was just smelling the cake.

Don't forget to make a wish, Bo Bo! Your wish comes true if you blow out all of the imaginary candles!

2Bit Cara says booyah dance dance revolution.