JD's Apple Pie Cheesecake Log with Salted Caramel Sauce

The flavors of cheesecake, apple pie, and salted caramel meld delectably in this creamy dessert spread. You'll want to lick the plate when it's gone.

• Preparation Time: 50 mins
• Cooking Time: 30 mins
• Total Time: 1 hr 20 mins
• Calories: 680 Calories

Ingredients

• 1 cup white sugar
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1 cup chopped pecans
• ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1 egg, beaten
• ¼ teaspoon ground allspice
• 2 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 cup cold water
• ¼ cup brown sugar
• ¾ teaspoon sea salt
• 1 pastry for a 9-inch double-crust pie
• 1 large Red Delicious apple - peeled, cored, and diced
• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, sliced and softened
• ½ cup heavy whipping cream, room temperature
• ½ cup cinnamon-sugar

Recipe Instructions

Step 1

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Step 2

Mix diced apple, cold water, and lemon juice together in a small bowl; soak for 10 minutes. Drain.

Step 3

Stir cream cheese, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice together in a bowl until smooth. Fold the diced apple into the cream cheese mixture.

Step 4

Spoon the cream cheese mixture onto the center of a sheet of plastic wrap. Use the plastic to shape the cheese mixture into a log, wrap the plastic around the log, and refrigerate until set, about 2 hours.

Step 5

Cook and stir white sugar in a 3-quart saucepan over medium-high heat until melted, smooth, and taking on an amber color, about 10 minutes; add butter and stir quickly with a whisk until the butter is melted, 1 to 2 minutes. Immediately remove saucepan from heat. Slowly stream heavy cream into the sugar mixture while continually stirring with the whisk to incorporate fully; add sea salt and stir. Transfer the caramel sauce to a glass bowl and set aside to cool.

Step 6

Roll out pie pastry on a lightly floured surface to about 1/4-inch thick. Cut dough into rectangles about 2 inches long. Arrange dough strips onto the prepared baking sheet. Brush the tops of the dough strips with beaten egg. Sprinkle cinnamon-sugar over the strips.

Step 7

Bake dough strips in preheated oven until golden brown, 10 to 15 minutes. Cool completely.

Step 8

Spread pecans into a shallow dish. Unwrap cheese log and roll in the pecans to coat. Place coated log onto a plate and drizzle caramel sauce evenly over the log. Serve with the pie crust chips.