Caramel Apple Pie Cheesecake Dip

Servings 8 -10 servings

Ingredients

For the apple pie topping:

1 Tablespoon salted butter
4 cups peeled and diced apples about 3-4 apples or 1 1/2 pounds
1/3 cup light brown sugar
1 Tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon apple pie spice or cinnamon
1 Tablespoon all purpose flour
2 Tablespoons water apple juice or apple cider

For the Cheesecake layer:

1 block 8 ounces cream cheese (I used Philadelphia, 1/3 less fat)
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup heavy whipping cream
Caramel sauce from here or here or use store bought

Dipper ideas:

vanilla wafers
ginger cookies
lemon cookies
graham crackers
butter crackers

Instructions

Make the apple pie topping. Melt butter in a small sauce pan over medium heat. Add apples, brown sugar, lemon juice, apple pie spice. Cook apples, stirring occasionally just until fork tender but not mushy. Sprinkle flour over mixture and stir to combine. Stir in water, apple juice or apple cider and continue to cook until mixture is thick and bubbly. Remove from heat and allow to cool.( I placed my bowl in a bowl that was shallowly filled with ice and a little bit of water to help speed the cooling process.) Once cool, refrigerate until ready to use.
For the cheesecake layer, in a medium mixing bowl, beat cream cheese with electric mixer until smooth and creamy, about 1 minute. Add salt, sugar and vanilla and beat until well combined. Add whipping cream and do some light stirring with a spoon or spatula to get it lightly combined. This will help to eliminate some splashing once you turn the mixer back on. Once you have it pre-mixed, turn on the mixer and beat at high speed until fully combined and mixture gets fluffy and thick. You should see the beaters leaving definite trails in the mixture. If you pull a spatula through the mixture, it should leave a clear path.
Spread the cheesecake mixture on a serving plate. My serving plate was 12" wide and I spread the mixture evenly stopping about 1/2" from the edge.
Carefully spoon cooled apple topping evenly over cheesecake mixture stopping about 1/2" from the edge of the cheesecake. I used a second spoon to scrape the topping off the filling spoon so I had more control of where and how much of the topping dropped on top of the cheesecake layer. This is especially helpful around the edges. Drizzle with caramel sauce.
Serve with dippers on the side, or use them to decorate the dip by sticking the edges of your dippers into the cheesecake mixture and overlapping them as you go around the edge of the plate. Do not do this step in advance or the edge of your cookies will soften in the dip. It will still be good, but you might need a spoon to scrape up the softened edges. Serve extra dippers on the side.

Recipe Notes

*You can adjust the sugar in the apple pie mixture to taste. I used 1/3 cup, but remember if you top with caramel syrup it will add even more sweetness. I may try it with a 1/4 cup next time.

*You can make both the apple topping and the cheesecake layer a day ahead. Spread the cheesecake layer on your serving tray and store, covered tightly in the refrigerator. Make apples the day before and store in a separate bowl in the refrigerator. When it's time to serve, spoon the apples evenly over the top of the cheesecake layer. I was worried the apples would weep and get too juicy if they sat on the cheesecake layer overnight, but my leftovers stayed perfectly intact. I just think it's easier to store a tray that you don't have to worry about ruining the top.

*If you use the cookie border, put them in just before serving or the part of the cookie stuck in the dip will soften...they will still stay in place, but might be harder to scoop.

*I used 1/3 less fat cream cheese but you can use full fat or fat free. I think Philadelphia brand is the best. I use it straight out of the refrigerator and I never have an issue with lumps. I like use it cold so that it doesn't warm up the cream when I'm whipping it.

*You can adjust the flour and liquid (water, apple juice or cider) as you need to for your apple mixture. These ratios worked well for me. You don't want a topping that's too juicy or too thick or it will be difficult to dip.