Caramel Apple Cheesecake. A special method yields an intensely flavoured apple topping on a silky baked vanilla cheesecake, then pour on the best homemade caramel sauce.
Caramel Apple Cheesecake.
Originally published August 2023.
This is a recipe that I’ve had on hand to share for a long time. Today I’m finally getting to it.
This one is sort of inspired by the same idea as my Apple Sour Cream Flan. The method for making the apple topping really shine with intense apple flavour is what makes that recipe so special.
Sour Cream Apple Flan.
A plain vanilla cheesecake using good quality vanilla extract is all that’s needed to use as the base for this incredible dessert. Our recipe is tried, tested and loved by thousands.
Vanilla Cheesecake base, ready fo0r the oven.
Our own Homemade Caramel Sauce tops this incredible combination but you can easily leave off the caramel and seve just with the reduced apples. It will still be very delicious!
Serve with only the apples if you like.
Caramel Apple Cheesecake.
NOTE: I don’t usually add the caramel to the top of the cake before serving. It looks good for the photo but I generally add the topping or toppings to individual slices for a less messy result.
Apples reduced for Caramel Apple Cheesecake.
Apple reduction being added back to apples.
In love with apple dessert recipes?
Try this incredible comfort food Apple Cobbler.
Or, check out this entire collection of our most popular cheesecake recipes.Want even more cheesecake ideas? Be sure to check out this collection of Rock Recipes Most Popular Cheesecake related recipes.
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Caramel Apple Cheesecake
Caramel Apple Cheesecake. A special method yields an intensely flavoured apple topping on a silky baked vanilla cheesecake, then pour on the best homemade caramel sauce.
Ingredients
For the cookie crumb crust
- 1⅓ cups graham cracker crumbs
- 3 tbsp sugar
- ⅓ cup melted butter
For the cheesecake batter
- 3 eight ounce packages ounces cream cheese, (3 cups)
- 1 cup sugar
- 3 eggs
- 3 tsp vanilla extract, (or, even better, the seeds from one large vanilla pod)
- 1 cup whipping cream
For the sauteed apple topping
- 8 large apples
- ⅓ cup butter
- 1 ½ tsp cinnamon
- ¾ cup light brown sugar
Instructions
To prepare the cheesecake crust
- In a small bowl combine the graham cracker crumbs, sugar and melted butter.
- Press the crumb mixture into the bottom of a lightly greased or parchment lined 9 inch spring form pan. (Grease bottom only!) Parchment paper is ideal here because it makes it very easy to release the cheesecake from the bottom of the pan.
To prepare the cheesecake batter
- Cream together the cream cheese and sugar for 2 to 3 minutes until well combined.
- Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
- Beat in the vanilla extract (or vanilla pod seeds. If using a vanilla pod, scrape all the seeds out and stir them very well into the whipping cream in the next step. This will help to break up the sticky vanilla pod paste and make sure the tint black seeds are evenly distributed throughout the cheesecake.)
- Finally blend in the whipping cream well until the batter is very smooth. Using a rubber bowl scraper/spatula, scrape the bottom and the sides of the bowl as well as the electric beaters/paddle and give the batter a final beating for 1 minute on a higher speed. This final step ensures that there are no lumps in the batter and introduces a little air into the cheesecake to make it lighter.
- Pour over the prepared base and bake in a bain marie at 300 degrees F for 60-70 minutes. (Oven temperatures will vary slightly. Mine takes the full 70 minutes and you can go to 75 if you feel you need to.)
- Don't be a compulsive oven door opener! Don't open it at all in the first hour.
- The cheesecake does not have to brown at all in order to be fully baked; the surface of the cheesecake should lose any shine when the cake is properly baked. It can still be slightly wobbly just at the center at this point.
- Remove the cake from the oven and run a sharp knife completely around the edge of the pan. This will allow for the cheesecake to shrink as it cools and hopefully not crack (Allow the cheesecake to cool thoroughly on a wire rack at room temperature. (NOT in the fridge). Refrigerate after fully cooled.
For the sauteed apple topping
- Peel and cut the apples into thick slices.
- In a large skillet melt the butter and add the cinnamon and brown sugar.
- Cook until the sugar dissolves and the mixture is bubbly.
- Add the apples and sauté until the apples are just fork tender but not mushy; they should still be semi-firm in texture. Remove from heat. The idea here is to let the residual heat to partly cook the apples.
- Drain the apples in a colander for about a half hour, collecting the juice and syrup that drains off.
- Return the juice and syrup that has drained off the cooked apples to the sauté pan and simmer over medium heat until the sauce gets very thick. Let it cool for about 20-30 minutes.
- In a large bowl, gently toss this sauce with the cooked apples and spoon onto the top of the completely cooled flan.
- Refrigerate until ready to serve.
For our Homemade Caramel Sauce click here,
Notes
NOTE: I don't usually add the caramel to the top of the cake before serving. It looks good for the photo but I generally add the topping or toppings to individual slices for a less messy result.
Bain Marie
In my opinion, baking the perfect cheesecake requires the use of a bain marie during baking. A bain marie is simply a water bath that buffers the direct heat from the sides and bottom of the baking pan to more evenly bake the cheesecake from the sides to the center.
I bake my cheesecakes in a 9 inch spring form pan that has the bottom and sides wrapped in multiple layers of wide heavy duty aluminum foil which forms a sort of boat that the cheesecake pan sits in.
The roll of aluminum foil that I use is about 16 inches wide. I use at least 4 layers of foil to make sure that no water leaks in and ruins the crust of my cheesecake. The aluminum foil wrapped pan is then placed inside a larger baking pan; I use a 12 inch cake pan.
Boiling water is then poured into the larger pan filling it from ½ to ⅔ of the way to the top.I find it best to pour the boiling water into the pan after it is placed on the rack in the oven as you are less likely to splash water onto the cheesecake or inside the aluminum foil. I reuse the aluminum foil for several future cheesecakes, adding a couple of layers to it each time just to be safe.
EVEN IF YOU CHOOSE NOT USE A BAIN MARIE still use the aluminum foil wrap around the cheesecake pan. The aluminum foil still offers a good buffer to the heat. High heat and baking too quickly is the main reason that a cheesecake becomes dense and not creamy.
Nutrition does not include the optional caramel sauce.
Nutrition Information
Yield
16Serving Size
1Amount Per Serving Calories 461Total Fat 29gSaturated Fat 17gTrans Fat 1gUnsaturated Fat 9gCholesterol 115mgSodium 247mgCarbohydrates 47gFiber 3gSugar 39gProtein 5g
The nutritional information provided is automatically calculated by third party software and is meant as a guideline only. Exact accuracy is not guaranteed. For recipes where all ingredients may not be used entirely, such as those with coatings on meats, or with sauces or dressings for example, calorie & nutritional values per serving will likely be somewhat lower than indicated.