Dutch Carmel Apple Cheesecake

by Pam Mihalovits winner of Apple Dessert in the Sparta Town & Country Bake Off Contest.

Crust:

20 pecan sandies

1 1/2 cup chopped pecans

2 tbsp. very soft butter

Filling:

3 (8-oz.) pkgs. cream cheese, room temperature

1 (14.5-oz.) can sweetened condensed milk

2 tsp. vanilla

1 tsp. cinnamon

3 large eggs, room temperature

1 can apple pie filling, or 1  1/2 cups your own homemade

Topping:

1 1/2 Cup pecans chopped

1 1/4 cup melted margarine or butter

1/2 cup graham cracker crumbs

1/4 cup flour

2 tsp. cinnamon

I tsp. nutmeg

caramel sauce of your choice (like caramel ice cream topping)

Topping:

Blend all together will in blender or food processor until fine crumbs form. Set aside to use at end of baking cycle.

Crust:

Process ingredients for crust in food processor until crumbs are nice and moist; pat into a 10-in. spring form pan and bake in preheated 350° F oven for 8 minutes. Remove and cool on wire rack.

Lower oven temperature to 325°F. Place a pan with about 2-in. water in bottom of oven, to create moist atmosphere.

Filling:

In large mixing bowl, cream sweetened condensed milk, and softened cream cheese.

When well blended, add 3 large eggs, one at a time, vanilla, and 1 tsp cinnamon. Beat

until well blended.

Pour into crust. Top with Apples from Pie Filling, placing apples in fan design around the

cheesecake. You won’t need a whole can. Save the rest for something else, it will freeze

fine.

Bake for 35 minutes, pull from oven and sprinkle Dutch topping on and pat well. Return to oven for 15 minutes.

Remove cheesecake and run knife round edges of cake to loosen. TURN OVEN· HEAT OFF. Return cheesecake to oven and crack door and let set one hour, to slowly start cool down. (This cooling method will help you bake a crack free cheesecake.)

Remove and finish cooling on wire rack.

Chill for 3 hours then remove sides of springform pan.

Drizzle with caramel sauce of your choosing (like caramel ice cream topping), when serving

Apple Pie Filling

INGREDIENTS:

4-1/2 cups thinly sliced apples

2-1/4 teaspoons lemon juice

1 cup and 2 tablespoons white sugar

1/4 cup cornstarch

DIRECTIONS:

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg

2-1/2 cups water

You have scaled this recipe’s ingredients to yield a new amount (10). The directions below still refer to the original recipe yield (40).

1. In a large bowl, toss apples with lemon juice and set aside. Pour water into a Dutch oven over medium heat. Combine sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon, salt and nutmeg. Add to water, stir well, and bring to a boil. Boil for 2 minutes, stirring constantly.

2. Add apples and return to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer until apples are tender,

about 6 to 8 minutes. Cool for 30 minutes.

3. Ladle into 5 freezer containers, leaving 1/2 inch headspace. Cool at room temperature no longer than 1 1/2 hours.

4. Seal and freeze. Can be stored for up to 12 months.