Apple butter is delicious on your morning toast, or over freshly made pancakes – but here is a recipe that will give you yet another great use for it! Try it and I am sure you will agree that it was worth the effort!
Caramel Apple Butter Cheesecake:
1-1/2 cups of gingersnap cookie crumbs
1/4 cup of melted butter
about 20 caramels
3/4 cups of apple butter
3 packages (8 oz. each) of cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup of sugar
2 tablespoons of flour
3 eggs
Caramel Sauce:
30 caramels
1/2 cup of half and half or light cream
- Preheat over to 300F . Wrap outside of 9 or 10 inch springform pan in heavy duty foil.
- In small bowl, mix cookie crumbs and butter. Press in bottom and about 1/2 inch up sides of ungreased pan.
- In microwavable bowl, microwave 20 caramels and 1/2 cup of the apple butter uncovered on high for 2-1/2 to 3 minutes, stirring every 30 seconds, until melted. Stir in the remaining 1/4 cup of apple butter and set aside to cool.
- In large bowl, beat cream cheese, sugar and flour with electric mixer on medium speed for about 1 minute or until smooth and creamy. On low speed, beat in eggs, one at a time.
- Reserve 1/2 cup of batter. Fold caramel mixture into remaining batter without mixing it in completely, leaving a few streaks.
- Pour over crust and drop reserved batter over the top. Cut through batter several times with knife for marbled design.
- Bake about 1 hour and 25 minutes or until centre looks almost set when pan is jiggled. Without releasing side of pan, run metal spatula carefully around cheesecake to loosen.
- Turn oven off, open oven doors about 4 inches and leave cheesecake in for about 30 minutes. The remove form the ovem and let cool completely at room temperature for about 2 hours.
- Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight. Run metal spatula arund the edges of the cheesecake to loosen it completely.Remove sides of pan from cheesecake but leave the bottom on for serving.
Caramel Sauce:
- in a saucepan, heat 30 caramels and cream over low heat, stirring frequently until caramels are completely melted.
- Serve warm or cool over slices of cheesecake.
Hope this worked well for you – please send in your comments, suggestions and experiences – your input is always welcomed!
