The Prize-Winning Cheesecake

Here it is, folks! The Biscoff Bake-Off winning recipe. Would you believe it was the first recipe I ever made up entirely by myself?

Delta had it posted on their site for a while, and I wasn't sure if I could put it here without conflict (I did sign my rights away when I entered the contest, after all). But now it's gone from their page and people are asking for it.  And what the people want, the people get. : )

So grab yourself some Biscoff Cookies (click here to find a retailer in your area; both Publix and Kroger sell them in my neck of the woods) and get to baking!

Salted Caramel Apple Cheesecake
Winner of the 2011 Delta Biscoff Bake-Off

Ingredients

• Crust
• 24 Biscoff Cookies, finely crumbled
• 1/3 cup salted butter, melted
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
• Filling
• 3 8-ounce packages cream cheese, softened to room temperature
• 1/3 cup sour cream
• 1/4 cup heavy whipping cream
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3 large eggs, room temperature
• 1 21-ounce can apple pie filling (Comstock "More Fruit" brand recommended)
• Topping
• 3/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
• 1/4 cup salted butter
• 1/4 cup heavy whipping cream
• 8 Biscoff Cookies, coarsely crumbled
• 1 teaspoon coarse sea salt

Directions

• Preheat oven to 350*.
• Prepare crust.
• Mix together Biscoff cookie crumbs, brown sugar, cinnamon and melted butter.
• Press mixture into the bottom of a well-greased 9" springform pan.
• Bake 10 minutes. Cool and maintain oven temperature.
• Prepare filling.
• Beat cream cheese in a large bowl until light and fluffy.
• Add sour cream, whipping cream, sugar, cinnamon, cornstarch and vanilla until well blended.
• Add eggs one at a time, beating just until incorporated after each addition.
• Assemble cheesecake.
• Pour half of cream cheese mixture into crust.
• Starting from the center outward, spoon apple pie filling onto cream cheese mixture. Leave at least 1" plain border around edge of cake.
• Gently portion remaining cream cheese mixture over top of apples, ensuring that no apples show through.
• Tap on counter to remove any bubbles.
• Bake.
• Fill a 9"x13" pan with hot tap water and place on bottom rack.
• Bake cheesecake on center rack until set, about 45 minutes to one hour. Center inch of cake should remain loose in order to firm during cooling.
• Turn off oven and let cheesecake stand inside with door closed for at least one hour.
• Cool.
• Remove from oven and cool on wire rack.
• When cheesecake has reached room temperature, refrigerate overnight.
• Make caramel topping.
• Melt butter in a small, heavy saucepan.
• Add brown sugar and stir over medium-low heat until dissolved.
• Increase heat and bring to a boil.
• Gradually add heavy cream and whisk until smooth.
• Remove from heat and allow to cool for 10 minutes.
• Complete assembly.
• Pour warm caramel topping over center of cheesecake, allowing to spread outward to within 1" of cake edge.
• Sprinkle with coarse Biscoff cookie crumbles and sea salt.

Slice, serve and enjoy!

Tips & Tricks

• This recipe is based on the size of Biscoff Cookies available in the grocery store.  If you travel like a madman and are stockpiling the Delta ones, they're actually a good bit larger. You won't need as many.
• If you use reduced fat anything (sour cream, cream cheese, etc.) the cake will almost definitely crack.
• About half of mine still crack even when I use the full fat goodies. Don't fret; that's what the topping is for! : )
• To slice without stress, run a large, sharp knife under hot water for about 60 seconds. Wipe blade with a damp towel between cuts to prevent transfer of cheesecake from one slice to the next. Run under hot water again after every other slice.
• This cheesecake is very rich. A little bit goes a long way! Recipe will easily yield 10 generous or 12 smaller slices.

Now, if you'll excuse me, I may have to go make another one of these!