This recipe takes a little bit of effort to put together, but the result is so worth it! Guests love this layered dessert. There is a creamy cheesecake filling and also a caramel topping that has a sprinkling of sea salt. Before starting, place a sheet of aluminum foil in a square 8 x 8-inch baking pan. Let the foil hang over the sides like handles.
Using the handles, lift out the entire dessert from the pan. If you want to cut perfect-size squares, trim the sides and corners off all the way around the dessert.
Cut small squares yielding about sixteen bars. It is a rich dessert, so small servings work well. However, you can cut larger squares to make eight bars if desired.
The final step is to drizzle caramel sauce over the bars and then sprinkle sea salt. I used a salt grinder with purple salt which looks pretty on a white plate.
I used a food processor, mixer, and electric chopper to help put this dessert together, although everything except the cheesecake filling can be made by hand.
Dress up your dessert by adding a little decoration in an artistic way. I used thin apple slices and mint leaves and placed the bars in small dishes.
| Prep Time | 30 minutes |
| Cook Time | 56 minutes |
| Servings |
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- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup brown sugar, packed
- 1/2 cup butter, softened
- Aluminum foil
- 8x8-inch baking pan
- 12 ounces cream cheese, room temperature (1 1/2 8-ounce packages)
- 3/4 teaspoon vanilla
- 6 tablespoons sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 large Gala apple, peeled and finely chopped
- 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon, ground
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup butter, softened
- 6 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1/4 cup corn syrup
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1/4 cup whipping cream
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Sea salt
Ingredients
Crust Ingredients
Filling Ingredients
Apple Topping Ingredients
Salted Caramel Ingredients
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- Place a long sheet of aluminum foil in an 8x8-inch baking dish leaving the long ends outside the dish for handles to lift the dessert out after baking. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
- In a medium bowl, combine the flour, brown sugar, and butter. Use your hands to thoroughly work the butter into the flour and sugar or use a food processor to quickly combine the ingredients.
- Press the crust mixture into the bottom of the aluminum-foiled prepared pan. Bake for 12-15 minutes until lightly browned.
- Use a mixer to combine the cream cheese, vanilla, sugar, and egg until creamy. Pour into the slightly cooled crust.
- Combine the chopped apple, granulated sugar, and cinnamon. Sprinkle over the cream cheese mixture.
- In a medium bowl, combine the flour, brown sugar, and butter using your hands to work the butter into the flour and sugar or use a food processor for quick combining. Sprinkle this flour mixture over the apples. Bake for 40 minutes. Cool.
- Lift the dessert out of the baking dish with the aluminum foil handles and place on a cutting board. Cut the dessert into 16 small equal-sized pieces or 8 large pieces.
- In a heavy saucepan, combine butter, brown sugar, and corn syrup and bring to a boil. Boil for 1 minute.
- Remove from the heat and stir in the cream and vanilla. Drizzle over the bars just before serving and sprinkle with sea salt.
For perfectly-cut bars, trim off the sides and corners all the way around the dessert before dividing into bars.