APPLE PIE CHEESECAKE BARS

MAKES: 16

● 250g Nice biscuits

● 150g butter, melted

● 375g cream cheese, softened

● 1/3 cup caster sugar

● 2 tsp vanilla extract

● 1/2 cup pure cream

● 2 eggs

● 800g can sliced pie apples

● Caramel sauce, to serve

● Icing sugar, to serve STREUSEL TOPPING:

● 1/2 cup plain flour

● 1/2 cup self-raising flour

● 1/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar

● 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

● 100g butter, chilled, finely chopped

● 1/4 cup flaked almonds

METHOD

1. Preheat oven to 160C/140C fan-forced. Grease a 20cm x 30cm lamington pan. Line base and sides with baking paper, extending paper 5cm above edges of pan on all sides.

2. Place biscuits in a food processor. Process until fine crumbs form. Add the butter. Process until just combined. Press mixture over base of prepared pan. Refrigerate for 30 minutes. Wash and dry food processor.

3. Place cream cheese, caster sugar, vanilla, cream and eggs in food processor. Process until smooth. Pour mixture over biscuit base in pan. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until top is just set. Cool for 15 minutes.

4. Increase oven temperature to 180C/160C fan-forced. Carefully arrange apples on top of cheesecake.

5. Make topping. Place flours, brown sugar, cinnamon and butter in a clean food processor. Process until mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs. Stir in almonds.

6. Spoon streusel topping evenly over apples. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until top is golden. Remove from oven. Cool for 1 hour. Refrigerate for 6 hours or until firm. Cut pie into bars. Drizzle with caramel sauce and dust with icing sugar. Serve.

Recipe: Cathie Lonnie Image: Guy Bailey