BAKED APPLE CHEESECAKES

FOR THE FILLING:
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, room temperature
1 large egg
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon lemon zest
FOR THE APPLES:
8 medium Golden delicious apples
TO SERVE:
2/3 cup honey
4 biscotti, crushed

TO MAKE THE FILLING:
Combine all filling ingredients in food processor and process until smooth. Transfer to bowl; cover and refrigerate.

TO PREPARE THE APPLES:
Adjust rack in lower third of oven. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

To core the apples, center a 1 1/2-inch cookie cutter over stem and gently press and twist cutter about 2/3 of way through apple. Be careful not to cut all the way through to bottom. Remove cutter. Using paring knife, cut the incised circle into sections and spoon out core and flesh (melon baller works well).

Set apples in baking dish. Spoon about 1 1/2 Tbsp of filling into each cavity. Set dish in water and pour in enough warm water to come up about a quarter of the way up on the apples.

Cover dish with foil and bake till apples are tender, about 30-40 minutes. Remove from oven; centers will be soft.

TO SERVE:
Serve warm or, for a typical cheesecake consistency, chill for at least 2 hours. Remove from refrigerator about 1 hour before serving.

Using pastry brush, glaze apples with honey. Scatter biscotti crumbs over apples and serve.

Servings: 8
Source: San Francisco. Chronicle; November 25, 1998