Caramel Cheesecake Apple Dip

Our daughter-in-law, Karen, made this for a family dinner and everyone LOVED it!!  This dip is caramel apples for grown-ups.  It has all the things you like about a caramel apple layered between sweet cream cheese.  It’s creamy, caramely, goodness with a little chocolate and toffee thrown in for good measure.   This cheesecake dip looks pretty on a serving plate, which makes it a great to serve at parties.

12 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature

3 Tbs. heavy cream

1/4 cup powdered sugar

1/2 tsp. vanilla

Caramel sauce (recipe below) or store bought

Heath milk chocolate pieces

mini chocolate chips

2-4 Granny Smith or other crisp tart apples, sliced and soaking in lemon juice/water until ready to serve

Line a bowl with plastic wrap.  Use enough plastic wrap to hang over the sides of the bowl about 2 inches.

Place half of the cream cheese mixture in the lined bowl and smooth with the back of a spoon. (If you dip the spoon into warm water before you start to smooth the cream cheese, it will be much easier to spread.)

Spoon on a layer of caramel.

Place in the refrigerator for about 20 minutes. This will let the caramel set up a bit and make topping it with the remaining cream cheese much easier.

Scoop the remaining cream cheese on top and smooth out using the back of a dampened spoon, like you did for the first layer.

Fold the overhanging plastic wrap over the top and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, up to overnight.

Pull back the plastic wrap so that the top of the cheesecake is exposed. Place a serving plate on top of the pan and invert. Remove the bowl and the plastic wrap.

Spoon caramel sauce over the top of the cheese cake and top with more of the Heath pieces and chocolate chips. Place the sliced apples around the dip and serve.

*Note: If you want to throw this together super fast, just spread all the cream cheese on a serving platter and top with the caramel, Heath bits, and the mini chocolate chips.

1 cup sugar

1/4 cup water

8 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into pieces

1/2 cup heavy cream

2 teaspoons vanilla (or 1 teaspoon vanilla and 2 teaspoons bourbon)

pinch of sea salt
Place sugar in a small heavy sauce pan. Pour water evenly over the top. Turn stove top to medium-high heat. Hold sauce pan by the handle and swirl occasionally until sugar has dissolved.

Turn heat to high, and boil until syrup turns brown around the edges of the pan, about 6-8 minutes.

Swirl the syrup occasionally until it turns a deep amber and just begins to smoke.

Remove pan from heat. Add butter and whisk, until all butter is mixed in.

Stir in cream. Take care adding the butter and cream as the caramel will boil up and sputter quite a bit.

If sauce has any lumps, set pan over low heat and stir until smooth then turn off heat again.

Stir in vanilla and salt.