Autumn Cheesecake with Granola Streusel Crust
Yield: 1- 9×5 loaf pan cheesecake
Preheat Oven to 350 degrees | Bake in water-bath for 40 – 45 minutes
Ingredients:
Granola Streusel Crust
- 1 cup Granola Factory Honey Pecan Granola
- ½ cup chopped toasted pecans
- 3 Tbsp light brown sugar – packed
- ½ tsp cinnamon
- ¼ cup butter – melted
Cheesecake Filling
- 2 – 8 oz packaged of cream cheese, softened
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 1 tsp. vanilla
- 2 eggs – beaten
Apple Streusel Topping
- 3 Granny Smith Apples – peeled and thinly sliced
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar
- Juice of ½ lemon
- ½ tsp. cinnamon
- Remaining half of Granola Streusel mixture
Directions for Crust
- Preheat oven to 350
- Line a 9 X 5 loaf pan with parchment paper and lightly butter the parchment paper.
- Combine all of streusel ingredients in a medium bowl. Take half to the mixture and press into the bottom of parchment lined loaf pan.
- Place in preheated oven for about 10 – 15 minutes until lightly golden.
- Remove and set aside while preparing the filling.
Directions for Filling
- In a medium bowl combine softened cream cheese and granulated sugar. Mix until creamy, about 2 -3 minutes.
- Add vanilla and beaten eggs to cream cheese mixture and continue mixing for another 2 -3 minutes.
- Pour filling mixture into loaf pan over prepared crust. Prepare apples.
Directions for Apple Streusel Topping
- Place sliced apples in microwave proof bowl. Add granulated sugar and cinnamon and juice of ½ lemon. Combine well and cover with plastic wrap
- Place bowl in microwave for 2 minutes, to slightly soften and cook the apples
- Mixture will now be rather syrupy. Remove apples to a small bowl and add remaining Granola Streusel mix. Stir to combine
- Place Granola/apple mixture over top of cheesecake filling, take a metal spatula and press apples into center of cheesecake filling, to cause the apples to go into the middle of cake. (This will look pretty when cheesecake is sliced.
- Now drizzle about ½ of remaining “syrup” over apple granola mixture.
- Heat 1 ½ cups water until boiling. Place loaf pan into another larger pan, and place in preheated oven on oven rack. Now pour hot water into outside pan (The French call this a “Bain-Marie” or water bath – this will prevent the cheesecake from cooking too fast and drying out.)
- Bake cheesecake for 40 – 45 minutes until no longer giggly in center
- Remove from oven and water bath and cool on cooling rack. Refrigerate until serving.