Mulling Spiced Cheesecake with Warm Toffee Apples

When I'm not dyeing, knitting, or traveling, you can often find me baking. Sharing a holiday recipe with all of you has become a favorite seasonal pastime of mine. This year, I hope you enjoy this classic cheesecake dressed up in warm and comforting spices in good health, surrounded by the ones you love.

For the Crust:

1 ½ cups graham cracker crumbs, (approximately 1 sleeve of graham crackers)
3 Tbsp sugar
1/2 cup butter, melted (1 stick)
⅛ tsp salt, (If you don’t have a ⅛ tsp measuring spoon, estimate half of a ¼ tsp spoon.)
¼ tsp ground cinnamon

For the Cheesecake Filling:

4 pkg. (8 oz. each) Cream Cheese, softened
1 cup sugar
2 Tbsp ground cinnamon
2 tsp ground mulling spices*
1 Tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
⅛ tsp salt
4 large eggs

For the Toffee Apples:

4 Pink Lady apples, (or any tart but sweet apple variety), peeled & chopped into bite-sized pieces
½ C (1 stick) of salted butter
½ C dark brown sugar
¼ tsp salt
½ C heavy cream

*Mulling spices typically contain a mix of cinnamon, clove, mace, star anise, ginger, and dried orange peel and can be found in the bulk spices section of most grocery stores or online. Grind them in a spice grinder or in a coffee grinder dedicated to spice grinding.

Crust
-Preheat the oven to 350F, and line a 9” springform pan with foil. (Lining is optional, but it helps prevent any leaks that may occur.)

-In the bowl of a food processor, pulse graham crackers until a fine crumb is formed. Add the sugar, and process to combine. Pour in the melted butter, and process to incorporate.

-Empty the crumb mixture into the springform pan and press to cover the bottom evenly. Then press the crumbs approximately ⅓ of the way up the sides of the pan.

-Place the springform pan on a cookie sheet or half sheet pan, and put it in the oven to bake blind for 9-11 minutes. Once baked, remove the crust from the oven and let cool while preparing the filling.

Filling
-In the bowl of a stand mixture, combine the cream cheese and sugar and beat until smooth.
-Add the cinnamon, mulling spices, salt, and lemon juice, and beat to fully incorporate.
-Stop the motor, lower the bowl, and scrape the edges and bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula.
-Add the eggs one at a time, and beat on low speed until each one is fully blended in.
-Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl once again, and blend on low speed one last time to be sure the mixture is smooth and all ingredients are fully incorporated.

-Pour the filling into the prepared crust, and bake for approximately 1 hour or until the center is almost set but still has a slight wobble.
-Turn off the heat, open the door of the oven, and let cool slowly for 30 minutes.
-Remove from the oven, and gently run a table knife around the edges of the springform pan to loosen the crust from the edges. Let cool completely.
-Carefully release the springform pan and remove the collar from the cake. With a large cake spatula, move the cake from the base to a serving platter, and chill in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours before serving.

Toffee Apples
-In a saucepan, melt the butter.
-Add the chopped apples, and cook until the apples are softened.
-Add the salt and brown sugar, and cook for 15 minutes, stirring regularly to prevent sticking. The mixture will be thick and bubbly.
-Add the cream, and stir to combine. Bring back to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until the mixture thickens slightly. (About 5 more minutes)

-Serve the toffee apples warm alongside the cheesecake.

Mulling Spiced Cheesecake with Toffee Apples