Apple Cardamom Cheesecake

Total Time: 1 hr 40 mins Preparation Time: 30 mins Cook Time: 1 hr 10 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 12
• 1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 3/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
• 1/3 cup butter, melted
• 4 medium cooking apples, peeled and cored (about 2 lb)
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup butter
• 3/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
• 2 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
• 2/3 cup sugar
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon grated lemon peel
• 4 eggs

Recipe

• 1 preheat oven to 325 degrees.
• 2 for the crust: mix all ingredients together.
• 3 press firmly on bottom and up 1 inch on sides of a 9-inch springform pan.
• 4 set aside for the apples: cut apples into 16ths.
• 5 in a large skillet, combine the apples with the remaining ingredients and cook until apples begin to carmelize, turning often.
• 6 arrange apple slices over bottom of crust.
• 7 for the cheese filling: beat cream cheese until fluffy and then gradually add in sugar, vanilla and lemon peel.
• 8 beat in the eggs one at a time.
• 9 pour over apple slices.
• 10 bake for 60-70 minutes or until lightly browned.
• 11 turn oven off and allow the cheesecake to remain in the oven for about an hour with the door slightly ajar.
• 12 cool in pan.
• 13 once cool, chill in refrigerator for at least 2 hours.