Set the oven to 400 degrees.An incredibly easy-to-make dessert that will impress your guests. Try not to consume all of the bourbon sauce before your guests arrive.
INGREDIENTS
Cheesecake:
8 apples (we used Granny Smith)
3 Tbsp unsalted butter
1 Tbsp brown sugar
1 tsp cinnamon, plus extra to sprinkle
16 oz cream cheese, room temperature
1 cup sugar
3 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla paste
½ cup Biscoff cookies, crushed (you can also use graham crackers)
Bourbon Caramel Sauce:
7 oz (200 g) sugar
1½ stick cold butter, cut into pats
10.5 oz (300 ml) heavy cream
2 Tbsp bourbon (we used Jim Beam)*
⅛ tsp sea salt
*TIP
2 Tbsp bourbon will give it a light bourbon flavor. Add another 1 Tbsp if you wish for a stronger flavor.
DIRECTIONS
Cheesecake:
Set the oven to 400 degrees.
Prepare the apples. Something to consider: this is going to be your serving dish for the cheesecake so you want to keep this looking good. Slice the tops off the apples and hollow out the apples by using either a paring knife or a melon baller to remove the flesh and core. Pay special attention to not damage the sides or the bottom. Eat the apple flesh that you have removed; it’s good for you. If the apple does not sit flat in the pan, shave a bit off the bottom of the apple.
Place the apples, bottom side down, in a shallow baking pan. In a small sauce pan, melt the butter on medium heat, and stir in the brown sugar and cinnamon. Brush the butter mixture on the inside and top of the apple. Cook the apples for 10 minutes, remove from the oven, and set aside. Lower the oven to 300 degrees.
In a standing mixture, add the cream cheese and beat until light and fluffy. Add the sugar, and mix well. Add each egg, one at a time, scraping the sides and the bottom of the bowl between each egg. Beat until you do not see any lumps. Finish off with the vanilla paste, stir, and turn the mixer off.
Add 2 heaping tsp crushed graham crackers to the bottom of each cooled apple. You will have some graham crackers left over—save them as a garnish when you serve the dessert.
Add the cheesecake batter to each apple. Do not over fill, stopping just before the top of the apple, as the batter will rise when cooking.
Add the apples to a baking pan, and cook for 40 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool. Store in the refrigerator, covered, for at least 4 hours. It’s better if you do this overnight.
Bourbon Caramel Sauce:
Meanwhile, make the caramel. Prepare your ingredients beforehand as this moves quickly.
In a heavy saucepan on medium heat, add the sugar. Let it sit and do not stir it, but do not go anywhere either. You will start to see the sides of the sugar starting to brown and smoke. Again, do not stir and do not panic; just turn on the fan. Once the sugar begins to turn an amber color, gentle swirl the pan. Let me say this, and trust me you won’t need to be told this twice: melted sugar is hot and hurts for at least a few days if you get the sugar on your skin or tongue (I just could not wait). Using a wooden spoon, stir the sugar. Be prepared for the melted sugar to spit and boil a bit.
Now, add the butter, 2 pats at a time. As the pats melt, add another 2 pats. Stir the mixture the entire time. Once the butter has melted and the caramel is starting to come together, turn the heat off, and remove the pan from the burner.
While stirring, slowly drizzle in the cream. Once all the cream is in the pan, put the pan back on the burner, and set it to medium heat. Stir until it begins to boil, and the mixture is creamy. Add the bourbon and salt. Stir, remove from the heat, and set aside. Pour the caramel in a pretty container and store in the refrigerator for a few hours until it thickens.
Time to serve the dessert! Add a nice big dollop of caramel to the plate, and place the apple on top. Sprinkle with the remaining graham crackers and a light dusting of cinnamon.
