Categories: Dessert: Chesecake
Ingredients
- 1 Junior's 9 inch sponge cake crust
- FOR THE FILLING:
- 3 large, firm, crisp red-skinned apples
- 1/2 cup apple cider or juice
- 1 Tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 Tablespoon sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- FOR THE CHEESECAKE:
- three 8 oz packages cream cheese, soft
- 1 1/3 cups sugar
- 1/4 cup cornstarch
- 1 Tablespoon pure vanilla extract
- 2 extra-large eggs
- 2/3 cup heavy whipping cream
- FOR THE CARAMEL APPLE TOPPING:
- 2 large, firm, crisp red-skinned apples
- juice of 1 large lemon
- 1 cup caramel or butterscotch ice cream topping
Directions
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Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Generously butter the bottom and sides of a 9 inch springform pan. Wrap the outside in aluminum foil, covering the bottom and extending all the way up the sides. Make and bake the cake crust and leave it in the pan. Keep the oven on.
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To make the filling, peel and core the apples for the filling into 1/2 inch bite size pieces. Combine the cider, cornstarch, sugar and cinnamon in a small saucepan and whisk until completely dissolved. While stirring constantly, bring to a full boil over medium heat and continue to boil until thickened, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in apples. Set aside to cool while you make the cake.
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Put one package of the cream cheese, 1/3 cup sugar, and the cornstarch in a large bowl and beat with an electric mixer on low until creamy, about 3 minutes, scraping down the bowl several times. Blend in the remaining cream cheese one package at a time, scraping down the bowl after each one. Increase the mixer speed to medium and beat in the remaining 1 1/3 cups sugar, then the vanilla. Blend in the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in the cream just until completely blended. Be careful not to over mix! Gently spoon the batter onto the crust, the spoon the apple mixture over the batter, gently spreading it almost to the edge of the pan, completely covering the cake.
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Place the cake in a large shallow pan containing hot water that comes about 1 inch up the sides of the spring form pan. Bake until the edges are light golden brown and the top is slightly golden tan, about 1 1/4 hours. Remove the cheesecake from the water bath, transfer to a wire rack, and cool for 2 hours (just walk away-dont touch it). Then, leave the cake in the pan, cover loosely with plastic wrap, and refridgerate until completely cold, preferably overnight, or at least 4 hours. Transfer the cake to the freezer for one hour.
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For the prettiest cake, decorate within a few hours of serving, so the apples stay fresh and crisp. To make the topping, core the apples and thinly slice them or cut them into bite size pieces (leave the peel on if you like). Toss the apples with the lemon juice. Release and remove the sides of the spring form pan, leaving the cake on the bottom of the pan. Place on a serving plate. Top the cake with the apples (wipe them with a paper towel first).
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Warm the caramel ice cream topping (don’t let it boil), then drizzle it from the tip of a small spoon in stripes across the top of the cake, all around the edges, and some down the sides. Return the cake to the freezer until the caramel has set, 30 minutes. Refrigerate until ready to serve. Slice with a sharp, straight edged knife, not a serrated one. Cover any leftover cake and refrigerate. Do not freeze this cake.