Day 308: Caramel Apple Torte

Fresh apples are still everywhere in my area.  Despite the cooler weather and freezing night time temperatures, my favorite fruit stand is still open (God bless them!).  I buy apples every week right now because I know it won't be long before all I'll be able to find is the mushy cold storage apples.  I thought this would be the perfect way to showcase them.  This recipe is very slightly adapted from Mel's Kitchen Cafe.

Bavarian Apple Torte

10" dutch oven

Crust:

12 tablespoons (3/4 cup) butter, softened to room temperature
1/2 cup sugar
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Filling:

2 packages (8-ounce each) cream cheese, softened to room temperature
1/4 cup granulated white sugar
2 large eggs
3/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Topping:

3 cups peeled, thinly sliced Granny Smith Apples (about 3-4 apples)
1/2 cup granulated white sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Caramel ice cream topping

In a medium bowl, combine the first four crust ingredients. Press the mixture into the bottom of a of a greased 10" dutch oven.

In another medium bowl, beat the cream cheese and sugar together until well blended. Add the eggs and vanilla; mix well. Pour over crust and smooth the creamy layer to the edges.

Combine the topping ingredients except the caramel and mix well. Spoon the coated apples over the cream cheese layer, taking care to even out the apple layer as much as possible. Bake at 350° for 60-70 minutes, until the center is set.  Press gently on the top of the apples to check for doneness. When there is not a lot of “give” and the center seems mostly firm, it is finished baking. It will continue to set up a bit as it cools. Cool completely, cut into slices, drizzle with caramel and serve.Serves 6-8.

The Finished Product

The Review

Ooooh! This was delicious!  The apples were tender and delicious.  This may be in my list of top cheese cakes.  All my kids loved it.  In fact I had to hide the leftovers in the frige so my hubby would get some.  It was really easy to do in the dutch oven too!  We gave this an A.