Recipe: Apple Harvest Cheesecake (with apple-pecan topping)

APPLE HARVEST CHEESECAKE

FOR THE CRUST:
1 cup graham cracker crumbs
3 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
3 tablespoons butter or margarine, melted

FOR THE FILLING:
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup sugar
2 eggs
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

FOR THE APPLE TOPPING:
1/3 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
4 cups apples, peeled and thinly sliced
1/2 cup pecans

TO PREPARE THE CRUST:
Combine graham cracker crumbs, 3 tablespoons sugar, 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon and butter or margarine; press into bottom of an ungreased, 9-inch springform pan.

Bake at 350 degrees F for 10 minutes.

TO PREPARE THE FILLING:
Combine cream cheese and 1/2 cup sugar, mixing with an electric mixer at medium speed until well blended. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Blend in vanilla. Pour filling over crust.

TO PREPARE THE APPLE TOPPING:
Combine 1/3 cup sugar and 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon; toss with apples. Spoon apple mixture over cream cheese layer; sprinkle with pecans.

Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour and 10 minutes. Loosen cake from rim of pan; cool before removing rim of pan. Chill.

Makes 8 to 10 servings
Source: Arizona Central, August 28, 2002