GLUTEN FREE CARAMEL APPLE TOFFEE CHEESECAKE

THIS IS MY 4 LAYER CARAMEL APPLE TOFFEE CHEESECAKE CREATION. IT WAS SERVED WITH WARM CARAMEL SAUCE POURED ON TOP! IT WAS A LOT OF WORK BUT WELL WORTH IT! LET ME KNOW IF YOU TRY IT!

STEP 1: CARAMEL APPLE CAKE LAYERS:

*NOTE: (I MADE THIS GF BY USING 2CUPS OF 'CUP 4 CUP" FLOUR)

• 2/3 cup soft butter
• 2 cups packed light brown sugar
• 2 egg
• 2 tsp vanilla
• 2 cup All-Purpose Flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 cup peeled, chopped tart apple (1 large apple)
• 1/2 cup toffee bits (Heath)

1. Preheat oven to 350°
2. Line 2 8-inch round pans with parchment paper.
3. Cream butter and brown sugar in mixer until smooth.
4. Add eggs and vanilla and beat on medium until combined.
5. On low, add flour, baking powder, and salt. Mixing until just combined.
6. Stir in the chopped apples and toffee bits until evenly distributed.
7. Spread in prepared pans and bake for approx 30 minutes until the center is set. Let cool and then freeze the layers until firm.

Step 2: Make 2 crustless cheesecake layers:

Crustless Cheesecake portion:

2 sticks softened butter
1 cup granulated sugar
4- 8 oz packages cream cheese, softened
1- 3 oz. package cook and serve vanilla pudding
4 eggs
2 tsp baking powder

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Grease two 8" pans with shortening, line the pans with parchment and then grease the parchment. Lightly flour the pans and tap out excess over the sink. Set aside.

Cream butter and sugar in a stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment. Add cream cheese a little at a time until smooth. Scrape bowl down and beat again on medium speed, adding eggs one at a time. Add remaining ingredients. Mix again until smooth. Divide batter evenly between pans. Leave a little extra out of pans or they will be too full as this recipe is really meant for 9 inch pans. Smooth batter with offset spatula and bake for 55 minutes to 1 hour. Cheesecake will puff up during baking, then deflate when taken out.

Do not turn out cheesecakes when they are finished baking. Put them directly in the freezer, and leave until frozen solid. Turn out frozen cheesecake layers and peel parchment from the bottoms. Line the pan they were in with enough parchment or wax paper to hang over the sides of the pan. Place the cheesecakes back in the pans. Keep in fridge until ready to layer.

Step 3: make caramel to pour on layers: (DOUBLE THIS IF MAKING MY FROSTING BELOW, TOO AS U WILL NEED 1/2c. CARAMEL FOR IT)

1 cup sugar
4 tablespoons water
2 tablespoons light corn syrup
1/2 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons butter1/2 teaspoon salt, kosher or sea

1. Combine the sugar, water, and the corn syrup in a large saucepan and stir with a wooden spoon over medium heat until sugar is dissolved.
2. Cover the saucepan and let it cook over medium heat for 3 minutes.
3. After 3 minutes, remove the lid, increase the heat to medium-high, and bring to a boil.
4. Do not stir from this point on, but instead swirl the liquid around the pan so that the caramel doesn’t burn.
5. Continue to cook until the caramel turns an even amber color then remove from the heat and let stand for about 30 seconds.
6. *** Be careful here *** Pour the heavy cream into the mixture. The mixture will bubble up significantly and is very hot.
7. Stir the mixture, again being careful. Add the butter, and salt. Stir until combined.

8. Stirring occasionally, allow to cool until thick like molasses. Once cool, pour some on top of each of your 4 cake layers and place in freezer or fridge until firm.

Step 4: layering

layer your 4 cakes on top of each other-I started with apple toffee cake on the bottom. Sprinkle heath on the top layer. Chill while preparing the frosting.

STEP 5: PREPARE CARAMEL BUTTERCREAM-if you like a LOT of frosting, double this! Otherwise, this should be fine.

Electric mix 1 stick softened butter and 4 ounces cream cheese. Slowly add 2 cups powdered sugar and 1/2c. homemade caramel. Whip on high till fluffy. Spread on cake. Sprinkle more heath on sides of cake. 

LINKING AT CHEF IN TRAINING