KRAFT APPLE PECAN CHEESECAKE, ADAPTED

Apple cheesecake is one of hubby’s and my faves. Recently, I made an apple strudel cheesecake that was amazing. Last year, I made Paula Deen's Caramel Apple Cheesecake Bars, and they were also delicious. But this adapted Kraft recipe is even better. Adding brown sugar instead of white to the cream cheese gives the cheesecake a mild caramel flavor.

I didn’t care to use Kraft’s graham cracker crust though. Instead, I made my own, a mixture of oats, whole wheat flour, brown sugar and butter; and it’s perfect for this cheesecake. Some of the crust mixture is reserved to mix with the apples for the topping.



Kraft’s recipe is made in a 9 x 13 pan; but I opted to cut the recipe in half and make it in an 8” springform pan. You can make it in an 8” square pan if you prefer, or double the recipe and make it in a 9 x 13 pan. The only thing I might change if I make this again is to cook the apples and cool them before topping the cheesecake with them. Cooking apples twice intensifies the flavor and makes such a difference in the end product. But then, one of the things I liked about this recipe is that it’s so easy. Come to think of it, maybe I could give up a more intense apple flavor in favor of simplicity.

Kraft Apple Pecan Cheesecake, Adapted Rating: 9.5 out of 10 Printable Recipe

Crust + Topping:  3/4 cup rolled oats 6 Tbsp. white whole wheat, whole wheat or all-purpose flour 1/4 cup brown sugar 2 Tbsp. white sugar 4 Tbsp. butter, melted 1/4 cup chopped pecans 1/2 tsp. cinnamon 2 cups chopped peeled apples (I used Pink Lady) Filling: 2 (8 oz.) pkgs. cream cheese or Neufchatel cheese, softened (I used Neufchatel) 1/2 cup brown sugar 1 tsp. pure vanilla extract 2 large eggs 1/2 cup sour cream (I used lite) Heat oven to 325F. In work bowl of food processor, combine oats, flour, 1/4 cup brown sugar, and 2 Tbsp. white sugar. Pulse 2-3 times. Add butter and pulse till combined. Reserve 1/2 cup of mixture in small bowl, adding pecans and cinnamon to it – this will be your topping. Press remaining mixture onto bottom of greased 8” springform pan (or 8” square pan). Bake 9-10 minutes, till set, not brown. Cool thoroughly on wire rack. (Place in fridge or freezer for faster cooling, if desired.) Wipe work bowl with damp paper towel. Combine cheese, brown sugar and vanilla and pulse till well combined, about 30 seconds. Scrape down sides. Add eggs, one at a time, pulsing after each addition. Add sour cream and pulse till well mixed. Pour over cooled crust. Carefully spread apples over top of cheesecake. Sprinkle reserved topping mixture over apples. Bake about 50-55 minutes, or till center is almost set. Cool. Refrigerate 4 hours or overnight. Let stand at room temperature 30 minutes before serving. (For an extra-special touch, drizzle caramel topping over each piece of cheesecake.) Yield: about 8 servings

APPLE STRUDEL CHEESECAKE, adapted

Apple pie and cheesecake: two of America’s faves. This recipe combines both for a rich, tasty dessert that’s sure to please everyone. Janice White, Encampment, Wyoming, sent this recipe in to Country Woman Magazine, and it was a prize winner. After making it, I can see why. My hubby, who is not big on desserts, came ‘round for seconds, and so did I.
Five simple steps will get you this fab dessert (see recipe below).
Some other tips:
(1) Use a tart apple that will hold its shape when baked (Pink Lady, Rome, Ginger Gold, Pippin, and the like).
(2) Cheesecake always tastes better if it “cures” overnight in the fridge, so plan on making this when you have time to start a day ahead.
(3) You might not like switching oven heat from 350F to 400F then back to 350F. If so, you can make the crust first at 400F, then do the apples and filling both at 350F.
(4) You can put the apples and crust in the freezer for a quick cooldown if necessary.

Apple Strudel Cheesecake, Adapted Source: tasteofhome.com Rating: 9 out of 10 Printable Recipe

APPLE TOPPING: 4 cups sliced peeled tart apples (I used Pink Lady) 2 Tbsp. frozen apple juice concentrate, thawed 1 tsp. cinnamon 3 Tbsp. sugar 1/4 chopped raw walnuts CRUST: 1 cup all-purpose flour 1/3 cup sugar 1/3 cup cold butter (I used Can’t Believe it’s not Butter) 1 egg yolk 1/4 tsp. vanilla extract CHEESECAKE FILLING: 2 (8 oz.) packages cream cheese, softened (I used Neufchatel) 1/2 cup sugar (I used 1/4 cup sugar+ 1/2 Tbsp. Stevia) 1 tsp. vanilla extract 1-1/2 tsp. flour (my addition) 2 eggs

1. Prepare the apples: Heat oven to 350F. Place apples and apple juice concentrate in an ungreased 9 x 13 pan, preferably a glass one; toss to combine. Bake, uncovered, for about 20 minutes, or till just barely tender and most of the liquid has been absorbed. Remove from oven; cool. Raise oven heat to 400F. (Note: If you are using a dark or coated pan, then bake the crust at 375F.)
2. Make the crust: In work bowl of food processor, combine flour and sugar; pulse briefly to mix. Add butter, cut into small cubes, and pulse with quick on/off motions till mixture is crumbly. Add egg yolk and vanilla and process, again with quick on/off motions, till dough forms. Press onto bottom of ungreased 9” springform pan. Place the pan on a baking sheet and bake about 10 minutes, or till just barely set, but not browned. Cool on wire rack. Reduce oven heat to 350F (325F if using a dark or coated pan).
3. Make the cheesecake filling: Wipe out work bowl of food processor with a damp paper towel. Combine cream cheese, sugar and vanilla in work bowl and process till smooth and creamy. Add eggs, one at a time, processing briefly after each addition. (If you want, add a dash of sea salt – I did.) Pour filling over cooled crust.
4. Add the apple topping: Toss the cooled baked apples with 1 tsp. cinnamon and 3 Tbsp. sugar. Arrange apples over cheesecake filling; drizzle with any remaining cinnamon-sugar mixture. Sprinkle with nuts.
5. Return pan to baking sheet and bake 40-45 minutes, or till center is almost set. Cool on wire rack 10 minutes. Carefully run knife around edge of pan to loosen cheesecake; cool 1 hour longer on rack. Refrigerate 4 hours or, preferably, overnight. Yield: 12-14 servings