INSTRUCTIONS

1. Make the caramel sauce linked in the ingredients above and set aside to cool.

2. To make the apple blondie, prepare a 9-inch springform pan with a parchment paper circle in the bottom and grease the sides. Preheat oven to 350°F (176°C).

3. Combine the flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg in a medium sized bowl and set aside.

4. In a large mixing bowl, whisk the melted butter and brown sugar together until well combined.

5. Add the egg and vanilla extract and whisk together until well combined.

6. Fold in the chopped apple, then spread the batter evenly in the prepared pan.

7. Bake for 28-32 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.

8. While the blondie bakes, make the cheesecake filling. In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese, brown sugar and flour on low speed until well combined and smooth. Be sure to use low speed to reduce the amount of air added to the filling, which can cause cracks. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.

9. Add the sour cream, caramel sauce, vanilla extract, cinnamon and nutmeg and mix on low speed until well combined.

10. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing slowly to combine after each addition. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed to make sure everything is well combined. Set aside until the blondie is done baking.

11. When the blondie is done baking, reduce the oven temperature to 300°F (148°C). Remove the blondie from the oven and pour the cheesecake batter evenly over the blondie (I like to remove the blondie and wash the pan, then add a new parchment circle and re-spray the sides of the pan with non-stick spray before adding the cake blondie to the pan and adding the cheesecake filling on top, but you don’t have to. I just think the sides come out nicer that way).

12. Wrap the outside of the pan with aluminum foil, then place the springform pan inside another larger pan. (See my tutorial for preventing springform pans from leaking. I also like to use a slow cooker liner.) Fill the outside pan with enough warm water to go about halfway up the sides of the springform pan. The water should not go above the top edge of the aluminum foil on the springform pan.

13. Bake for 1 hour 40 minutes. The center should be set, but still jiggly.

14. Turn off the oven and leave the door closed for 30 minutes. The cheesecake will continue to cook, but slowly begin to cool as well.

15. Crack the door of the oven for 30 minutes to allow the cheesecake to continue to cool slowly. This process helps prevent cracking.

16. Remove the cheesecake from the oven and water bath wrapping and refrigerate until firm, 5-6 hours or overnight. Once completely cool and firm, remove from the springform pan.

17. To make the cinnamon apples, combine the apples, lemon juice, nutmeg, cinnamon and brown sugar in a medium saucepan and toss to coat.

18. Add the butter and cook apples on medium-high for about 15 minutes, or until at preferred softness. Set aside to cool a bit.

19. To make the whipped cream, add the heavy whipping cream, powdered sugar, vanilla extract and cinnamon to a large mixer bowl. Whip on high speed until stiff peaks form.

20. Drizzle some of the remaining caramel sauce down the sides of the cheesecake, then pipe the whipped cream around the outer edge. Finish it off with the cinnamon apples in the center, a little more caramel sauce, then serve. I recommend serving the cheesecake cold with the apples warm, but you can definitely store leftovers in the fridge and eat it all cold as well. The cheesecake should be well covered and refrigerated and consumed within 4-5 days or as long as the apples hold up.

Caramel Sauce:

1. In a medium to large saucier pan, combine the granulated sugar and water. Cook over medium-low heat until the sugar is completely dissolved, about 3 to 5 minutes. Add the butter and let it melt

2. Over medium heat, bring the mixture to a boil. Stop whisking and don’t whisk at all during this part to help avoid crystallization. Allow to boil until the mixture turns a deep golden copper color, about 10-15 minutes, maybe longer depending on your stove. Keep an eye on it, but do not stir. If needed, you can occasionally tip the pan from side to side to help things cook evenly. 3. Remove the pan from the heat and immediately add in the heavy whipping cream in a slow, steady stream. The caramel will bubbly up quite a bit, so be careful with this step. Whisk quickly and well as you add the cream, whisking until well combined.

4. Add the vanilla extract and half a teaspoon of salt and whisk to combine. Add additional salt to your desired saltiness.

5. Allow the caramel sauce to cool. It will be fairly thin, but will thicken as it cools. Store it in the fridge for up to two weeks.