Apple Cheesecake Bars – just imagine, buttery crust topped with cream cheese and soft apples and a topping made of rolled oats and almonds. And that’s not all…everything is mixed with caramel sauce…by far one of the best apple desserts. I really like the use of apples in the cheesecake and caramel sauce just like the cherry above. Don’t be intimidated with a long list of ingredients and steps, it’s really quick.
Source: Home Cooking Adventure
Ingredient
Makes about 15 servings
Earth’s crust
1 cup (2 sticks-220g) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 1/2 cups (190g) flour
1/2 cup (100g) ground almonds
1/2 cup (100g) brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
Cream cheese mix
Cream cheese 16 oz (500g), room temperature
1/2 cup (100g) sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 eggs
1 teaspoon lemon zest
Apple
3 cups apples (about 3-4 apples) – peeled, grated, chopped
1 tablespoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
Streusel Topping
1/2 cup (40g) rolled oats
1/2 cup (63g) flour
1/2 cup (100g) ground almonds
1/2 cup (1 stick-110g) butter, room temperature
1/2 cup (100g) brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Caramel Sauce
1 cup (200g) sugar
1/4 cup (60 ml) water
1/2 cup (120g) heavy cream
2 tablespoons (30g) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon salt
Direction
1. Preheat oven to 350 F (180 C). Grease a 9 X 13 inch baking dish with butter. Leather cord.
2. Prepare the crust. In a large bowl, combine flour, ground almonds, sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Add the butter and use a pastry blender or simply cut the butter with a fork until crumbs form.
3. Press the mixture into the bottom of the prepared baking dish and bake for about 15-20 minutes until lightly golden brown. Set aside and let cool a bit.
4. While the pie crust is baking, prepare the apples. Peel and core the apples, and cut them into small pieces. In a medium bowl, combine apples with sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg.
5. Prepare cheese mixture by mixing cream cheese with sugar, vanilla extract and lemon zest. Add the eggs one at a time and mix until well combined.
6. Pour cheese mixture over warm crust and spread evenly. Add chopped apple on top of cream cheese.
7. Prepare the streusel topping: In a large bowl, combine the rolled oats, flour, ground almonds, brown sugar, and cinnamon. Add the butter and use a fork to cut the butter until crumbly. Sprinkle streusel coating over apples.
8. Bake for about 30 – 35 minutes until the cake is done.
9. While baking, prepare caramel sauce. Place sugar and water in a medium heavy-bottomed saucepan, cook over medium-high heat, stirring without stirring, and cook until sugar is melted and caramelized.
10. Remove the pan from the heat and add the cream. It will bubble a bit.
11. Cook for about 1 minute, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon until smooth.
12. Remove from heat and add butter and salt. Stir until smooth. Pour into a small jar and set aside to cool until cake is set.
13. When the cake is ready, let cool to room temperature, cut into bars and serve with caramel sauce.
