Cheesecake Base:
16 ounces cream cheese, softened
2/3 cup white sugar
2/3 cup sour cream
2/3 cup 18% coffee creamer
2 tablespoons flour, sifted
2 eggs
2 tablespoons vanilla
Caramel Apples
½ cup sugar
3 tablespoons butter
¼ cup heavy whipping cream
1 teaspoon vanilla
Pinch kosher salt
3 Apples, washed and cut into very thin wedges
Preheat oven on convection bake to 325F.
For caramel apples, set ½ cup sugar in a heavy saucepot and allow it to liquefy slowly over medium heat. Once melted and slightly coloured, add in butter one tablespoon at a time, mixing between each addition.
Mix together vanilla, salt and cream. Then very slowly add into the sugar/butter, mixing thoroughly all the while.
Allow to simmer over medium heat 3 minutes, then add in apple slices and continue cooking until apples have softened. Carefully remove apple slices from caramel to a cooling tray, and then continue to reduce the caramel over medium heat 3 more minutes. Remove to shallow bowl and cool.
For cheesecake, place the cheese in an electric mixer bowl and with the paddle attachment, whip on medium high speed until soft and fluffy. Add in sugar slowly and continue to beat once more minute.
Turn the mixer down to its lowest speed and add in the cream and sour cream. Allow to mix thoroughly on slow speed
Sift the flour over the mix and allow to stir until incorporated.
Add the vanilla, then add the eggs one at a time, allowing the slow speed mix to completely incorporate each egg before the next is added.
Pour into a pitcher and sit 20 minutes before baking
Meanwhile, grease 10 x 4-ounce ramekins and line the bottoms with your caramel apple slices. Pour the cheesecake batter evenly between the 10 portions and set the cups in a pan deep enough for a water bath. Add hot water into the pan until the cups are ½ covered, then bake uncovered for 16-20 minutes.
When tops are set, but not cracking, remove from water bath to a wire rack for cooling. Cool 15 minutes at room temperature, then place them uncovered in the fridge for another 60 minutes until covering.
After 6 hours of cooling, they will be ready to remove from the ramekins. Simply slide a butter knife around the edges and they should slide right out onto a cutting board. Serve with your leftover apple caramel.
Makes approx. 10 x 4-ounce ramekins or 1 x 9inch pan