APPLE PIE CHEESE BALL

1 sweet red apple,

preferably Fuji or Gala 3 tablespoons butter 1 tablespoon water 1 tablespoon brown sugar 2 1/2 teaspoons ground

cinnamon, divided 1 teaspoon ground

nutmeg, divided 12 ounces cream cheese,

at room temperature 1/2 cup apple butter

1 pie crust (thawed, if

frozen)

Make the apple filling: Peel the apple and dice into approximately ½-inch pieces. Melt the butter in a medium pan over medium heat. Add the apple and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft and just beginning to brown, 10 to 12 minutes. Stir in the water, brown sugar, 1 teaspoon cinnamon and ½ teaspoon nutmeg, and cook until all ingredients are thoroughly incorporated and warmed through, 1 to 2 minutes longer. Remove from the heat and let cool.

Make the cheese ball: Combine the cream cheese and apple butter in a bowl. With an electric mixer, beat on medium speed until smooth. Add the cooled apple mixture and beat on low speed until just combined. Spoon the mixture onto the center of a large piece of plastic wrap. Gather the ends of the plastic and twist to close, forming a ball around the cheese mixture. (The ball will be quite soft.) Refrigerate overnight.

The next day, make the topping: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Roll the pie crust onto a pie tin and sprinkle the remaining 1 ½ teaspoons cinnamon and the remaining ½ teaspoon nutmeg over it. Shake off the excess. Put the pie crust on a rimmed baking sheet and bake until browned, about 10 minutes. Set aside to cool. Break the cooled pie crust into a fine crumble and into a bowl. (For less mess, crumble the pie crust inside its own tin, which you can then use to roll the cheese ball in.)

About 10 minutes before serving (this ball tends to be softer, so keep it in the fridge until the last moment), remove the cheese ball from the fridge. Spread the crumbled pie crust onto a rimmed plate (if not using the tin). Roll the ball in the pie crust, pressing it firmly to the ball, until completely covered. Let soften at room temperature for 10 minutes. Serve. 8-10 servings.

Per serving: 289 calories (percent of calories from fat, 62), 4 grams protein, 24 grams carbohydrates, 2 grams fiber, 20 grams fat (11 grams saturated), 47 milligrams cholesterol, 253 milligrams sodium.

Reprinted from “Cheese Balls” by Dena Rayess with permission by Chronicle Books, 2018.

LIGAYA FIGUERAS / LFIGUERAS@AJC. COM For a retro-style treat, bring out an Apple Pie Cheese Ball with butter crackers.