Yield:
8 generous slicesIngredients
1 package low-fat cream cheese
1 pint low-fat ricotta cheese
1-1/2 cup sugar
4 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon lemon extract or 1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 cup sifted all-purpose flour
Instructions
Mix soft cream cheese and ricotta cheese until smooth. Add eggs, sugar, vanilla and lemon extract or juice. Slowly add sifted flour and baking powder. Mix until smooth.
Bake at 350 degrees for an hour then lower to 300 degrees for 15-20 minutes or until brown and tooth pick comes out clean from center of cake. Turn off oven and leave in oven for 10 minutes. Unclip springform pan and let cool then refrigerate for 1 hour before serving.
Crust
Ingredients
2 cups crushed vanilla wafers
1/4 cup crushed pecans, optional
1/4 cup butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
Mix crushed wafers, pecans in bowl. Add melted butter and extract. Press gently into an 8-1/2 or 9” springform pan. Refrigerate until needed.
Baked Apples
Ingredients
4 medium apples
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon lemon juice
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar
3 teaspoons unsalted butter
1 tablespoon molasses
Instructions
Peel and slice 4 medium apples. Sprinkle 1 teaspoon of cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon lemon juice, 1/2 cup of sugar 1/4 cup of brown sugar, 3 teaspoons unsalted butter, and drizzle 1 tablespoon of molasses over apples.
Bake apples at 350 degrees for 15 minutes or until caramelized. Let them cool, and layer apples onto crust. Pour cheese cake mixture over the baked apples in springform pan. Do not discard the syrup from the baked apples. It’s great reheated over vanilla ice cream!
