caramel apple cheesecake

Today is Avery’s Born Again Birthday!

She asked Jesus into her heart a year ago tonight when Nana was babysitting. My mom chose not to tell us that night when we got home from our date, just to see if it was “real” to Avery. Would you believe that early early the next morning she came racing into our room and from the doorway announced:

“I asked Jesus in my heart and I get to go to Heaven!” in her little teeny sweet 2-year-old voice, then did the sweetest little celebratory jump in the air. “Yipee!” 🙂

Precious, precious moments in the lives of our children. We will wish her a Happy Born Again Birthday when she wakes up today and remind her why we celebrate this special day:

Jesus washed away her sins, she can go to Heaven for eternity and that on this very day a year ago, the angels had a Born Again Birthday party for her as God wrote her name in the Book of Life! Now THAT is reason to celebrate! 🙂

On to the dessert:

The title says Caramel Apple Cheesecake, what more could you want to know?! 🙂

Ok, it was delicious……caramel is my WEAKNESS! It was the perfect fall dessert and I am SO excited to own a Springform pan so I can make this sorta thing. (finally after 10 years of wishing I had registered for one, I now own THREE springform pans, all in different sizes thanks to a Bed, Bath and Bey0nd gift card. I LOVE that place!) Thank you, Lisa for sharing this great recipe!

Ingredients

1-½ cup Cinnamon Graham Cracker Crumbs
¾ cups Sugar, Divided
¼ cups Butter, Melted
14 ounces, weight Package Of Caramels
⅔ cups Evaporated Milk
½ cups Chopped Pecans, Divided
2 packages (8 Oz. Each) Cream Cheese, Softened
2 Tablespoons Flour, divided
2 whole Eggs, Lightly Beaten
1-½ cup Chopped & Peeled Granny Smith Apples
½ teaspoons Ground Cinnamon

1. Place a greased 9 inch spring form pan on a double thickness of heavy-duty foil. (about 18 square inches) Securely wrap foil around pan.

2. In a small bowl, combine cracker crumbs, 1/4 cup sugar and butter. Press onto the bottom and 1 inch up the sides of prepared pan. Place on baking sheet. Bake at 350* for 10 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool on a wire rack.

3. In a heavy saucepan over medium-low heat, melt unwrapped caramel squares and milk until smooth and melted. Pour 1 cup over crust; sprinkle with 1/4 cup pecans. Set remaining caramel mixture aside.

4. In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese, 1 T. flour and remaining sugar until smooth. Add eggs; beat on low-speed just until combined. Combine apples, cinnamon and remaining flavor. Fold into cream cheese mixture then pour into crust.

5. Place springform pan in a large baking sheet; add 1 inch of hot water to larger pan. Bake for 40 minutes. Reheat reserved caramel mixture if necessary, gently spoon over cheesecake and top with remaining pecans.

6. Bake 10-15 minutes longer or until center is just set. Remove pan from water bath. Cool on wire rack for 10 minutes. Carefully run a knife around the edge of the pan to loosen; cool 1 hour longer.

Refrigerate overnight before serving.

Enjoy your GORGEOUS creation! Its super delicious!!!!

And Happy Born Again Birthday to my precious little Peanut, Avery!