Caramel Apple Tree Cheesecake Squares {Improv Cooking Challenge}

Think apple tree crisp. Drizzled amongst caramel. Served over cheesecake with a chocolate-brown carbohydrate crust. With a niggling chip more caramel for expert measure. And at that spot yous convey Caramel Apple Cheesecake Bars. Are yous drooling? Well, yous belike should be.

I made these bars for the first-ever Improv Cooking Challenge, orchestrated as well as hosted past times the fabulous Sheryl at Lady Behind the Curtain. Our challenge? Bake upwardly a dish using the ii ingredients specified past times our challenge hostess - this fourth dimension around, apples as well as caramel.

Truth endure told, I'm non a fan of apples as well as caramel together. Apple desserts? Love them! Caramel? Love it! Together? Not thence much. Those ooey-gooey, oh-so-sticky, almost-pull-my-teeth-out caramel apples on a stick? Detest them. So, belike needless to say, I wasn't merely absolutely over-the-moon thrilled nearly this gene pairing (sorry, Sheryl!).

But, I actually wanted to participate inwards the Improv Cooking Challenge, amongst this grouping of bloggers. So off I went inwards search of a caramel-and-apple recipe that would pique my interest. Oh, how I produce honey a challenge!
I came across several possibilities inwards my searching travels, but none grabbed me quite similar these cheesecake bars from The Girl Who Ate Everything. My hear as well as my eyes merely kept on coming dorsum to them. So, these niggling gems are what I went with! And I'm thence glad I did.

I mean, basically apple tree crisp on transcend of cheesecake?? With caramel??? Come on! What's non to love?

You construct these niggling beauties inwards layers - starting amongst a chocolate-brown sugar-based crust. Then yous pour on cheesecake batter, layer on cinnamon-coated apples, as well as transcend that amongst a buttery streusel layer.

Pop it inwards the oven until it's ready as well as golden brown, as well as thence drizzle on to a greater extent than or less caramel topping.

The alone alter I made to this recipe was to cut back the amount of butter inwards the crust as well as the streusel topping. I scream back it could endure reduced fifty-fifty more, if yous would like. It is, originally, a Paula Deen recipe, later all! ... as well as nosotros all know how she loves her butter.

When the bars are cooled, cutting into 'em as well as drizzle on a niggling to a greater extent than caramel topping ... ya know, merely because yous can. Then dig on in! I shared these amongst my squad at school, as well as almost everyone asked for the recipe. Yes, this is i of those recipes.

And I convey to say, this is i caramel as well as apple tree combination fifty-fifty a non-caramel apple tree lover tin larn behind! And biting into it won't line your teeth out. I promise.

Caramel Apple Cheesecake Squares
Source: Adapted from The Girl Who Ate Everything (who adapted from Paula Deen)
(Printable recipe)
Ingredients
Crust Layer:
2 c. all-purpose flour
1/2 c. firmly packed chocolate-brown carbohydrate
3/4 c. (1 1/2 sticks) butter, softened

Cheesecake Layer:
iii (8 oz.) packages cream cheese, softened
3/4 c. sugar
iii eggs
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

Apple Layer:
iii tart apples (such equally Rome or Granny Smith), peeled, cored as well as finely chopped
2 T. sugar
1/2 tsp. solid pose down cinnamon
1/4 tsp. solid pose down nutmeg

Streusel Layer:
1 c. firmly packed chocolate-brown carbohydrate
1 c. all-purpose flour
1/2 c. quick cooking oats
1/3 c. butter, softened

Caramel Layer:
1/2 c. caramel topping

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Crust Layer:
2. In a medium bowl, combine flour as well as chocolate-brown sugar. Cut inwards butter amongst a pastry blender (or 2 forks) until mixture is crumbly.

3. Press evenly into a 9x13 baking pan lined amongst heavy-duty aluminum foil as well as sprayed amongst cooking spray. Bake fifteen minutes or until lightly browned.

Cheesecake Layer:
4. In a large bowl, compaction cream cheese amongst the 3/4 loving cup carbohydrate inwards an electrical mixer at medium speed until smooth. Add eggs, 1 at a time, as well as thence add together vanilla. Stir to combine. Pour over warm crust.

Apple Layer:
5. In a small-scale bowl, stir together chopped apples, 2 tablespoons sugar, cinnamon, as well as nutmeg. Spoon evenly over cream cheese mixture.

Streusel Layer:
6. In a small-scale bowl, combine all streusel ingredients. Using your hands or a fork, mix until the ingredients come upwardly together as well as shape small-scale crumbs. Sprinkle apples evenly amongst Streusel topping.

7. Bake 40-45 minutes, or until filling is set.

Caramel Layer:
8. Drizzle baked bars amongst caramel topping as well as permit cool. Serve cold.

Enjoy!