Dutch Caramel Apple Cheesecake

Dutch Caramel Apple Cheesecake

Crust:
20 pecan sandies
1/2 cup chopped pecans
2 tbsp. very soft butter

Filling:
3 (8-oz.) pkgs. cream cheese, room temperature
1 (14.5-oz.) can sweetened condensed milk
2 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. cinnamon
3 large eggs, room temperature
1 can apple pie filling, or 1 1/2 cups your own homemade

Topping:
1/2 Cup pecans chopped
1/4 cup melted margarine or butter
1/2 cup graham cracker crumbs
1/4 cup flour
2 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. nutmeg

caramel sauce of your choice (like caramel ice cream topping)

Topping:
Blend all together will in blender or food processor until fine crumbs form. Set aside to use at end of baking cycle.

Crust:
Process ingredients for crust in food processor until crumbs are nice and moist; pat into a 10-in. springform pan and bake in preheated 350º F oven for 8 minutes. Remove and cool on wire rack.

Lower oven temperature to 325ºF. Place a pan with abut 2-in. water in bottom of oven, to create moist atmosphere.

Filling:
In large mixing bowl, cream sweetened condensed milk, and softened cream cheese. When well blended, add 3 large eggs, one at a time, vanilla, and 1 tsp cinnamon. Beat until well blended.

Pour into crust. Top with Apples from Pie Filling, placing apples in fan design around the cheesecake. You won't need a whole can. Save the rest for something else, it will freeze fine.

Bake for 35 minutes, pull from oven and sprinkle dutch topping on and pat well. Return to oven for 15 minutes.

Remove cheesecake and run knife round edges of cake to loosen. TURN OVEN HEAT OFF. Return cheesecake to oven and crack door and let set one hour, to slowly start cool down. (This cooling method will help you bake a crack free cheesecake.)

Remove and finish cooling on wire rack.

Chill for 3 hours then remove sides of springform pan.

Drizzle with caramel sauce of your choosing (like caramel ice cream topping), when serving.