Caramel-Apple Cheesecake

This creamy cheesecake showcases fall flavors. Granny Smith apples lend a pleasant tartness, but you can substitute Rome, Braeburn, or your favorite apple variety. Make this cake the night before your gathering.

Yield: 16 servings (serving size: 1 cheesecake wedge and 1 tablespoon topping)

Ingredients

• Crust:
• 1  cup  graham cracker crumbs (about 8 cookie sheets)
• 1  tablespoon  egg white
• 1  tablespoon  water
• Cooking spray
• 
  Cheesecake:
• 1 3/4  cups  sugar
• 1/2  cup  light sour cream
• 3  tablespoons  all-purpose flour
• 1/2  teaspoon  ground cinnamon
• 1 1/2  teaspoons  vanilla extract
• 1/4  teaspoon  ground nutmeg
• 2  (8-ounce) blocks 1/3-less-fat cream cheese, softened
• 1  (8-ounce) block fat-free cream cheese, softened
• 4  large eggs
• 
  Topping:
• 1/3  cup  sugar
• 3  tablespoons  water
• 1/2  teaspoon  fresh lemon juice
• 1  tablespoon  butter
• 2  tablespoons  half-and-half
• 1 3/4  cups  thinly sliced peeled Granny Smith apple (about 8 ounces)
• Dash of nutmeg

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 400°.

2. To prepare crust, combine the first 3 ingredients in a bowl; toss with a fork until moist. Press mixture lightly into bottom of a 9-inch springform pan coated with cooking spray. Bake at 400° for 6 minutes. Remove from oven; cool on a wire rack. Wrap outside of pan with a double layer of foil. Reduce oven temperature to 325°.

3. To prepare cheesecake, place 1 3/4 cups sugar and next 7 ingredients (through fat-free cream cheese) in food processor; process until smooth. Add eggs, 1 at a time; process until blended. Pour cheese mixture into prepared pan. Place springform pan in a large roasting pan; add hot water to larger pan to a depth of 1 inch.

4. Bake at 325° for 1 hour or until cheesecake center barely moves when pan is touched. Remove from oven; let stand in water bath 10 minutes. Run a knife around outside edge of cheesecake. Remove pan from water bath; cool on a wire rack to room temperature. Cover and chill at least 8 hours.

5. To prepare topping, combine 1/3 cup sugar, 3 tablespoons water, and lemon juice in a small, heavy saucepan; cook over medium-high heat until sugar dissolves, stirring frequently. Cook 4 minutes or until golden (do not stir). Remove from heat. Add butter to pan; gently stir until butter melts. Stir in half-and-half. Cool slightly.

6. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add apple to pan; sauté 5 minutes or until lightly browned. Stir in sugar mixture and nutmeg. Serve topping with cheesecake.

Nutritional Information

Calories:

256 (33% from fat)

Fat:

9.5g (sat 5.6g,mono 2.7g,poly 0.7g)

Protein:

7.6g

Carbohydrate:

35.8g

Fiber:

0.4g

Cholesterol:

79mg

Iron:

0.6mg

Sodium:

268mg

Calcium:

59mg