Staff's Favorite Recipes

Crust:

3 cups graham cracker crumbs (about 22 crackers)
9 tablespoons (1 stick plus 1 tablespoon) butter, melted
1/2 cup sugar

Filling:

4 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 (16-ounce) container sour cream
1/2 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
5 eggs

Topping:

8 tablespoons butter (1 stick)
1 1/2 pounds (about 3 large) Golden Delicious apples, peeled, cored, and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup heavy cream

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Wrap the bottom and sides of a 10-inch springform pan tightly with foil to prevent moisture from the water bath from seeping into the cheesecake

Crust:

In a food processor, mix the graham cracker crumbs, butter, and sugar. Press the mixture into the bottom and halfway up the sides of the prepared pan. Bake the crust for 10 minutes, then remove it from the oven to cool completely.

Filling:

In a food processor or with an electric mixer, mix the cream cheese, sugar, and cornstarch until smooth. Add the sour cream, orange juice, and vanilla and blend until smooth. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, blending until just combined. *Cook’s Note: It’s important to blend well with no clumps as this will make the filling a smoother consistency when baked.

Pour the filling into the crust. Put a roasting pan on a rack in the center of the oven and transfer the cheesecake to the pan. Fill the roasting pan with hot water to come halfway up the sides of the cake pan and cover it loosely with foil. Bake until the center moves only slightly when the cake pan is shaken, about 1 hour and 45 minutes. Check the water level about 1 hour into the baking, adding more water, if needed. Carefully remove the pan from the oven and transfer the cake pan to a wire rack to cool. Refrigerate overnight.

Topping:

Melt the butter in a large skillet over high heat. Add the apples and pecans and cook, stirring, until they are coated with butter, about 2 minutes. Add the sugar and stir until the sugar dissolves and the liquid comes to a boil, about 3 minutes.

Using a slotted spoon, transfer the apples and pecans to a bowl. Reduce the heat to medium-high and cook the remaining liquid, stirring often, until it turns a deep amber, about 6 minutes. Remove the skillet from the heat to stop the cooking and add the cream. Be careful, as the cream may splatter. Return the skillet to the heat and bring it to a boil, whisking constantly. Remove the sauce from the heat and stir in the apples and pecans. Allow to cool until lukewarm.

Spread the caramel-apple mixture evenly over the top of the cheesecake. Refrigerate until ready to serve. Use a knife dipped in hot water to cut through the cheesecake.

 

Servings: 16 servings, 10-inch cheesecake
Prep Time: 12 hours 25 min
Cook Time: 2 hours
Difficulty: Moderate

Show: Paula's Best Dishes Episode: Dishin' With the Deens / Deen Family Cookbook

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Denny's Pick:
As you know, I grew up in an Italian-American family.  Italians have this thing about seafood on Christmas Eve.  In fact, many have what they call "The Feast of the Seven Fishes", and will literally eat seven different seafood dishes throughout the evening. My family never went quite that far, but we did (and still do) always have seafood on Christmas Eve. And once again this year, Rae and I will be having this tradition Italian seafood dish......

Directions:

Stir in the shrimp, scallops, clams, mussels and crabmeat. Stir in fish, if desired. Bring to boil. Lower heat, cover and simmer 5 to 7 minutes until clams open. Ladle soup into bowls and serve with warm, crusty bread! 

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