I think it’s safe to say that anything stuffed with cheesecake is a good idea. I mean, who doesn’t like a dense, gooey cake filled with silky smooth cheese and topped with caramel sauce?! It is one of the best desserts ever, and this new twist makes it a show-stopping dessert for fall. The good news for you the baker is that making this is really quite easy. It’s all about taking your favorite standard cheesecake recipe and baking it in a carved out apple. Apples are ripe and in season this time of year, so those nice big apples perfect for baking are fairly easy to find.
To make this a real WOW! on the table, assemble all the baked apples on a platter and drizzle them with caramel sauce or chocolate sauce. I think salted caramel is perfect for fall; it makes them taste like the most amazing caramel apples known to man.
With all the holidays coming up you should think about these for a dessert buffet. Can you imagine how popular they’d be with the crowds at Thanksgiving? Or even after a day of apple picking? Get ready, your new favorite fall dessert is here!
Baked Cheesecake Stuffed Apples
adapted from The Realistic Nutrionist
Ingredients:
6 large apples
8 ounces low-fat cream cheese
¼ cup granulated sugar
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
1 large egg
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
¼ cup finely chopped apples, from the inside of the apples you remove
Salted caramel sauce for serving
Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 350° F. Lightly oil the bottom of a 9×13 baking dish (or similar size so it will comfortably fit 6 apples without them touching).
2. Carefully cut the very top off of each apple. Use a spoon to carefully scoop out the inside of the apple, leaving about ½- to ¾-inch around the interior to maintain shape. Discard the core and apple seeds, but reserve the apple insides. Place the hallowed out apples in the baking dish so they aren’t touching.
3. Make the filling by beating the cream cheese, sugar, vanilla, and egg together until very smooth. Then stir in the cinnamon and chopped apples.
4. Fill each hollowed out apple 2/3-full with the filling. Bake the apples for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the filling is set and the apple sides are beginning to soften.
5. Remove the pan from the oven and allow it to cool to room temperature. Place the pan in the refrigerator and chill for 3 to 4 hours, or up to overnight. Before serving drizzle with warm caramel sauce.
via babble