Caramel Apple Cheese Cake Bars

 

shttp://www.averiecooks.com/2014/10/caramel-apple-cheesecake-crumble-bars.html

Crust
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
1/2 cup unsalted butter (1 stick), softened
Cheesecake 
8 ounces cream cheese, softened (use brick-style, lite okay)
1 large egg
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Apples
about 2 cups small dices apples (from about 2 med apples, peeled and cored; I used 1 Fuji and 1 Gala)
2 tablespoon granulated sugar
1 tablespoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
Crumble 
1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup old-fashioned-whole rolled oats (not quick-cook or instant)
6 tablespoons unsalted butter (3/4 of 1 stick), softened
Caramel
1/2 cup+ (salted) caramel sauce, for drizzling (homemade salted caramel, or storebought; use a thick caramel sauce and not thin, runny ice cream sundae topping)
ice cream, optional for serving

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350F. Line an 8-inch square pan with aluminum foil leaving overhang and spray with cooking spray, or grease and flour the pan; set aside.
2. Crust - In a large bowl, add the flour, brown sugar, and cut in the butter with two forks. Keep working until mixture is combined and pea-sized crumbly bits are present.
3. Turn mixture out into prepared pan, hard-packing it with your fingertips in an even, smooth, flat layer to form a crust. Bake for 14-15 minutes, or just until set (set a timer). Remove from oven; set aside. While crust bakes, prepare the remaining layers.
4. Cheesecake - In a large bowl (same one used for crust is okay, just wipe with a paper towel), add all ingredients and beat with a hand mixer (or whisk vigorously by hand) until smooth and combined, about 2 minutes on high power; set aside.
5. Apples - Peel, core, and dice apples and place in a medium bowl. Sprinkle with sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and toss well to combine; set aside.
6. Crumble - In a medium bowl, add the flour, brown sugar, oats, and cut in the butter with two forks. Keep working until mixture is combined and pea-sized crumbly bits are present. If necessary, add an extra tablespoon or two of flour or oats for preferred consistency if mixture is loose.
7. After removing pan with the crust layer from the oven, pour cheesecake mixture over the crust, smoothing the top lightly with a spatula.
8. Lightly and evenly sprinkle the apples.
9. Evenly sprinkle with the crumble mixture. It looks like a lot, but it sinks some while baking.
10. Bake for 45 to 50 minutes (I baked 48 minutes), or until crumble topping is just set and very lightly golden browned. Place pan on a wire rack to cool for about 30 minutes.
11. Caramel - After 30 minutes, evenly drizzle with (salted) caramel sauce. Allow bars to cool, in pan, on wire rack for at least 4 hours, or overnight. Cover with foil if cooling overnight. Don't slice bars too early because you'll have a literal hot mess and bars will likely fall apart. Prior to slicing, lift bars out using foil overhang, slice, and serve. Bars will keep airtight at room temp for up to 1 week, or in the freezer for up to 6 months. Optionally serve with ice cream.

Brown Sugar Bundt Cake

Ingredients

• 1-1/2 cups butter, softened
• 2 cups light brown sugar, packed
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 5 large eggs
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup whole milk
• 1 – 8 ounce bag of toffee bits
• 1 cup pecans, chopped
• 1 recipe CARAMEL DRIZZLE
• 
  
• Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
2. Spray a 12 cup Bundt pan with nonstick baking spray with flour. Set aside.
3. Beat the butter until creamy. Add sugars, beating until fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder, and salt. Gradually add flour mixture to butter mixture in thirds, alternately with milk, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Beat until just combined. Stir in toffee bits and pecans.
4. Spoon batter into prepared pan.
5. Bake until a wood pick inserted near the center of cake comes out clean, 75 to 85 minutes.
6. Cover top of cake with foil to prevent excess browning if necessary.
7. Let cake cool in pan for 30 minutes.
8. Remove from pan, and let cool completely on a wire rack. NOTE: Don’t freak out if some of the cake sticks. Mine did too. It’s because this cake is so moist. GOOD NEWS! We get to cover all the imperfections with yummy caramel!
9. Spoon Caramel Drizzle over cooled cake.

Caramel Drizzle:

Ingredients

• 1 - 14 ounce can sweetened condensed milk
• 1 cup light brown sugar, packed
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

1. In a medium saucepan, combine condensed milk and brown sugar; bring to a boil over medium-high heat, whisking constantly.
2. Reduce heat, and SIMMER for 5 minutes, whisking constantly.
3. Remove from heat; whisk in butter and vanilla.
4. NOTE: Make sure you drizzle the caramel while it's still HOT. When cooled the caramel does somewhat harden.

Notes

This recipe is from The Taste of the South’s Southern Cakes Magazine.

Cherry Limeaid Float

Ingredients

• 1/4 lime
• 10 maraschino cherries
• 2 scoops vanilla ice cream
• Juice from half a lime
• 2 Tbsp maraschino cherry juice
• Limeade to fill the glass, about 1 cup

Instructions

1. Layer ingredients in a glass and enjoy! Top with whipped cream and garnish wit a lime slice and cherries, if desired top with whipping cream.

Twix Mousse Brownies

INGREDIENTS

Brownies

• 1 cup butter, softened
• 2 cups sugar
• 4 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1⅓ cup flour

Shortbread Truffle Layer

• 1 (10 oz.) box Lorna Doone's Shortbread Cookies
• 6 oz. cream cheese, softened
• ½ cup sugar

Caramel Layer

• 14 oz. bag of caramel cubes, unwrapped
• 2 Tablespoons milk

Chocolate Layer

• 1½ cups milk chocolate chips
• ½ cup semi-sweet milk chocolate chips
• 1 Tablespoon shortening

INSTRUCTIONS

Brownies

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Cream butter and sugar together in a large mixing bowl. Add vanilla and eggs and mix well. Add salt, cocoa powder and flour and stir to well combine. Do not over mix.
3. Pour into a greased 9x13 inch pan.
4. Bake at 350 degrees F for 22-25 minutes.

Shortbread Truffle Layer

1. Place cookies in a food processor until fine powder. Mash in cream cheese and sugar until mixture is well combined.
2. Gently press shortbread truffle evenly over cooled brownies.

Caramel Layer

1. Place caramel cubes and milk in a medium microwave safe bowl. Microwave in 30 second increments until melted, stirring in between each increment until melted and smooth.
2. Evenly pour over shortbread truffle layer.
3. Place in fridge to let it cool.

Chocolate Layer

1. Combine chocolate chips and shortening together in a medium microwave safe bowl. Microwave in 30 second increments, stirring in between each increment until melted and smooth.
2. Evenly spread over the top of cooled caramel layer.
3. Let set up in fridge before cutting into.

PB Cheesball

Ingredients:

1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, at room temperature

1 cup powdered sugar 
3/4 cup creamy peanut butter (not all-natural) 
3 tablespoons packed brown sugar 
3/4 cup milk chocolate chips
3/4 cup peanut butter chips
Graham cracker sticks, teddy grahams, and/or apple slices for dipping

Instructions:
Beat cream cheese, powdered sugar, peanut butter and brown sugar in large mixer bowl until blended. 

Spoon onto a large piece of plastic wrap; bring up all four corners and twist tightly forming into a ball shape.

Freeze for 1 hour 30 minutes or until firm enough to keep its shape. Place peanut butter and chocolate chips in flat dish. Remove plastic wrap from ball and roll ball into morsels to completely cover, pressing morsels into the ball if necessary.

Place ball on serving dish; cover and freeze for 2 hours or until almost firm. (Can be made ahead. If frozen overnight, thaw at room temperature for 20 to 30 minutes before serving.) Serve with graham cracker sticks, teddy grahams, or apple slices for dipping or spreading.

Reases Krispies

1 Cup Sugar
1 Cup Corn Syrup
1 1/3 Cup Creamy Peanut Butter
4 1/4 Cup Rice Krispes
1 Pinch of Salt
4 Reese's Peanut Butter Cups, chopped
1 Handful Chocolate Chips


In a large sauce pan over medium heat, melt the sugar, corn syrup, and peanut butter until smooth and evenly combined.
Remove from heat.
Quickly add the salt and cereal and stir to combine thoroughly. Add the chocolate chips and stir again. Wait about 1 min and add the candy, quickly folding the mixture together so as to not smash up the candy.

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and drop rounded tablespoons onto the sheet. Let cool and devour!

Chubby Hubby Bars

Ingredients

• 2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
• 1 cup (2 sticks) butter, room temp
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 2 eggs
• 2 tsp vanilla
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp coarse sea salt
• 1 1/2 cups coarsely chopped pretzels
• 1 (8oz) bag of Reese’s Mini cups (or 2 cups coarsely chopped full sized Reese’s)
• 1 (14 oz) bag of caramels, unwrapped
• 2 Tbsp water
• 2 cups semi sweet chocolate chips, melted

How to Make

1. Preheat oven to 350
2. Spray a 9×13 pan lightly with cooking spray.
3. Beat together your butter and sugars until light and fluffy, approx 1 min.
4. Add eggs and vanilla, mix until incorporated.
5. On low speed add in your salt, baking soda and flour, mixing until just combined.
6. Slowly add in your Reeses and Pretzels, mixing until evenly distributed.
7. Spread in your prepared pan and bake for 25 minutes.
8. Let cool completely. Approx 30 minutes to an hour.
9. When cooled, melt your caramels and 2 Tbsp water in a microwave safe bowl stirring every minute until melted.
10. Pour over your bars.
11. Chill in fridge for 15 minutes to set caramel.
12. Melt your chocolate chips in a double boiler or microwave and spread over caramel.
13. Put back in the fridge for at least 30 minutes or until chocolate is set.
14. Cut into squares when ready to serve