This recipe, complete with baker comments and ideas, came through email from Judith Summers of Vicksburg and is perfect for any season.
Filling
2 (8 oz.) cream cheese packages. MUST be room temperature; take out at least 1-2 hours before making
2 1/2 T flour
1 can (Eagle brand) caramel flavored sweetened condensed milk, (or try making dulce de leche; google it, it takes 7 hours – boil can of sweetened condensed milk unopened in boiling water for 7 hours, making sure to keep can covered with water). I prefer caramel flavored sweetened condensed milk.
3 eggs
1/4 cup of frozen apple juice concentrate, thawed.
Apples
1/4 cup of frozen apple juice concentrate, thawed.
2 medium or 4 small peeled red delicious apples, cored and chopped. (I prefer Granny Smiths)
3 T butter
1/4 t apple pie spice (I use 1 tsp)
1 t cornstarch, (I used 2 t, to make sure it thickens well)
Apples are the part I suggest tripling or quadrupling the amount and using the rest of thawed frozen apple juice concentrate in doing so. It’s more work, but well worth it.
You can use your own crust, made with vanilla wafers or graham crackers. I used two pre-made, bought Keebler graham crusts, spraying butter and lightly sprinkling with 1/4 tsp pie spice on each of them (use small wire strainer to spread it, it’s easier) and pre-baking for 3-4 minutes at 350 degrees. Or use a spring form pan, if you want to make it per recipe.
Crust for 1 pie:
1 1/3 cup of vanilla wafer crumbs
1/4 c sugar
1/4 c butter, melted
Heat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit
Combined well, press well into 9-inch springform pan, going halfway up the sides.
Beat cream cheese and flour in large bowl, on medium until fluffy (4-5? Minutes) with hand mixer. Reserve 2 T caramel sweetened condensed milk for topping (I did not, I bought caramel sauce). Beat remaining sweetened condensed milk (used whole can) eggs, and 1/4 c. apple juice concentrate into cream cheese mixture until blended. Pour over crust. Bake 45 to 50 minutes or until almost set in middle.
If using 2 pre-made crusts (graham, shortcake, or chocolate—your choice, depending on flavor used) divide mixture, however, put them on a cookie sheet; easier to put in oven. 8-inch crust will be almost too full. Cook until just starting to lightly brown at edges, approximately 22-25 minutes depending on your oven, mine cooks hot. Take them out when it still jiggles in the center a little bit, they will continue to cook. Cool pie(s) on wire rack until completely cooled, serve chilled.
Cook apples in butter in large skillet over medium heat until crisp tender, about 5 minutes. Whisk 1/4 tsp apple pie spice, 1/4 c of apple juice concentrate, cornstarch in a medium bowl. Stir into apple mixture, cook, stirring constantly over medium heat until thickened. Cheaters would just buy a big can of apple pie filling, but it’s not as good, unless you add more spice.
Recipe says to spoon over cheesecake, and chill, but I prefer to put chilled apples on just before serving.
Drizzle caramel sauce/caramel sweetened condensed milk over pie just before serving. Sprinkle apple pie spice over whole cheesecake after apples, just before serving.
(I suggest just adding the extra spice to apples.)
1 springform cheesecake makes a deep dish with 12 servings. When using 2 pre-made pie crusts (more pieces, not as thick) it makes about 6-10 slices per pie.
Additional add-ins
Don’t like the apple caramel flavor? Replace the 1/3 cup of frozen condensed apple juice with your favorite flavor. I’ve made peanut butter, using 2/3 cup of peanut butter and adding an egg. Then, make a sauce that fits the flavor. Some flavors need no sauce added, unless you just want the pretty look.
There’s so much that you can do with this recipe, even “swirling” in an extra flavor, by just drizzling it on top before cooking. Add a little thickener (cornstarch) to the flavored drizzled, though.