Caramel Apple Blondie Cheesecake

Ingredients

3/4 c toasted & chopped pecans
2 (8 oz.) pkgs. cream cheese, room temperature
1/2 c granulated sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
4 large eggs, divided
1/2 c firmly packed light brown sugar
1/2 c butter, melted
1 c all-purpose flour
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
1-1/2 c peeled and diced Granny Smith Apples (about 2 apples)
Caramel Apple Topping
Caramel Sauce

Preheat oven to 325*.  Sprinkle pecans over bottom of a non-stick 9" springform pan.  If not non-stick, grease and flour the pan.
Beat cream cheese, granulated sugar, and vanilla at medium speed with an electric stand mixer until blended and smooth. Add 3 eggs, 1 at a time, beating after each addition.
Whisk together brown sugar, melted butter, and remaining egg in a large bowl until blended.
Stir together flour and next 3 ingredients; add to brown sugar mixture, and stir until blended. Stir in apples. Spoon batter into prepared pan. Carefully spoon cream cheese mixture over batter.
Bake for 1 hour and 10 minutes or until set. Remove from oven, and gently run a knife around outer edge of cheesecake to loosen from sides of pan. Cool completely in pan on a wire rack.  Transfer to a serving plate.
Meanwhile, prepare Caramel Apple Topping and Caramel Sauce. Spoon topping over cheesecake; drizzle with 1/2 c Caramel Sauce. Serve with leftover Caramel Sauce on the side.

Caramel Apple Topping

Melt 1/4 c butter in a large skillet over medium heat; add 1/2 c sugar and 1 tsp. fresh lemon juice, and cook, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, 5 to 6 minutes or until mixture turns a light golden brown. Add 5 large Granny Smith apples, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch-thick wedges. Cook, stirring often, 15-18 minutes more or until apples are tender and caramelized. Remove from heat and cool 20 minutes.

Caramel Sauce
1 c firmly packed light brown sugar
1/2 c butter
1/4 c heavy cream
1/4 c honey

Bring brown sugar, butter, heavy cream and honey to a boil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring constantly.  Boil for 2 minutes, stirring constantly.  Remove from heat, and cool 15 minutes before serving. Store in an airtight container in refrigerator up to 1 week. To reheat, microwave at HIGH 10-15 seconds or just until warm; stir until smooth.

(Recipe adapted from Southern Living Fall Entertaining Magazine)

Enjoy!

Caramel Apple Blondie Pie With Apple Cider Sauce

Ingredients

• 6 large Granny Smith apples
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 2 cups firmly packed light brown sugar, divided
• 1 cup butter, divided
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon table salt
• 3 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 3 tablespoons bourbon or whiskey
• 3/4 cup coarsely chopped toasted pecans
• 1/2 (14.1-oz.) package refrigerated pie crusts

Preparation

1. Peel apples, and cut into 1/4-inch-thick wedges. Toss with 2 Tbsp. flour and 1/2 cup brown sugar in a large bowl. Melt 1/4 cup butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat; add apple mixture, and sauté 15 minutes or until apples are tender and liquid is thickened. Remove from heat; cool completely (about 30 minutes).
2. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350°. Melt remaining 3/4 cup butter. Stir together 1 1/2 cups flour and next 2 ingredients in a large bowl. Add eggs, bourbon, 3/4 cup melted butter, and remaining 1 1/2 cups brown sugar, stirring until blended. Stir in pecans.
3. Fit pie crust into a 10-inch cast-iron skillet, gently pressing pie crust all the way up the sides of skillet. Spoon two-thirds of apple mixture over bottom of pie crust, spreading and gently pressing apple slices into an even layer using the back of a spoon. Spoon batter over apple mixture; top with remaining apple mixture.
4. Place pie on lower oven rack, and bake at 350° for 1 hour and 10 minutes to 1 hour and 20 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out with a few moist crumbs. Remove from oven; cool pie completely on a wire rack.

1. Drizzle cooled pie with 1/3 cup Apple Cider Caramel Sauce. Serve with remaining sauce.

Apple Cider Sauce

Ingredients

• 1 cup apple cider (I used 1/3 C. bottled Boiled Apple Cider available at King Arthur Flour or Amazon.com)
• 1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
• 1/2 cup butter
• 1/4 cup whipping cream

Preparation

1. Cook cider in a 3-qt. saucepan over medium heat, stirring often, 10 minutes or until reduced to 1/4 cup. Stir in remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring constantly; boil, stirring constantly, 2 minutes. Remove from heat, and cool completely. Refrigerate up to 1 week. To reheat, microwave at HIGH 10 to 15 seconds or just until warm; stir until smooth.

Recipe Featured in:

Southern Living
SEPTEMBER 2013

Photos property of Barbara Joyce Sheldon.

Fall into this wonderfully Autumnal Dessert!