Tuesday, November 30, 2010

Carmel Apple Cheesecake Bars


My photos are never very good but this one is really not good, sorry. But they do taste good, and that is the important part right.
I found this recipe over at Melskitchencafe. This recipe is delicious as is, but I think the next time I make it I will only make 1/2 the amount of the streusel topping.
I know this is a lengthy recipe but don't let that scare you off. Enjoy!
Caramel Apple Cheesecake Bars with Streusel Topping
Base:
2 c flour
1/2 c brown sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 cup butter, softened

Cream cheese Layer:
2 (8oz.)pkg cream cheese, softened
1/2 c sugar
2 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla

Apples:
3 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, and finely chopped
2 TBS sugar
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg

Streusel Topping:
1 c light brown sugar
1 c flour
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 c quick cooking oats
1/2 cup butter, softened

1 c caramel sauce (recipe below)

Preheat oven to 350.

In a small bowl stir together the "apple"ingredients, and set aside.

In a medium bowl, combine the streusel topping ingredients and mix until crumbly. Set aside.

In a medium bowl, combine flour and brown sugar. Cut in the butter with a pastry blender or two forks until mixture is crumbly but combined. Press evenly into a 9 x 13 baking pan lined with aluminum foil. Bake for 10 min. or until lightly browned.

While the crust is baking, in a large bowl, beat cream cheese with 1/2 c sugar until smooth. Then add eggs, and then the vanilla. Mix well. Pour over the warm crust.
Spoon the apple mixture evenly over the cheesecake layer. Sprinkle the streusel topping over the apples. Bake for 30 minutes, until the filling is set.
Cool the bars to room temperature. Drizzle with the caramel topping (or plate individual slices and drizzle the topping one by one.)

Caramel sauce:
4 TBS butter
1 c light brown sugar
1/2 c half-and-half or cream
Pinch of salt
1 TBS vanilla
Mix butter, brown sugar, half-and-half or cream, and salt in a saucepan over medium-low heat. Bring the mixture to a simmer and cook while whisking gently for 5 to 7 min. until thickened slightly. Add the vanilla and cook another minute to thicken further. Turn off the heat and pour the sauce into a jar. Refrigerate until cold. If the caramel sauce has cooled in the fridge long enough to harden, warm slightly before drizzling on bars.

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