Caramel Apple Cheesecake - Chefwiz.com

Ingredients

• 8 whole graham crackers
• 1 cup walnuts, lightly toasted and divided
• 2 tablespoons light brown sugar
• 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
• 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar, divided
• 1 tablespoon orange zest
• 3 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
• 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons packed light muscovado sugar
• 4 large eggs, at room temperature
• 1 large vanilla bean, seeds scraped
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• Apple Mixture (recipe follows)
• Apple Caramel Sauce (recipe follows)
• 2 cups apple juice
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1 vanilla bean (reserved from the cheesecake mixture)
• 1 tablespoon cold butter
• 3 Granny Smith apples, peeled, seeded, and thinly sliced
• 3 Fuji apples, peeled, seeded, and thinly sliced
• 1/4 cup apple brandy (such as Calvados)
• 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup water
• 3/4 cup heavy cream
• Pinch Pinch of salt
• 3 tablespoons apple brandy (such as Calvados)
• 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract