Caramel Apple-Brownie Cheesecake Recipe

Take the toasted pecans out of the oven, let them cool down, then chop them roughly. Set them aside for now.

Reduce your oven temperature to 325°F (about 160°C). Grease and flour a 9-inch (22 1/2 cm) springform pan.

Sprinkle the chopped pecans evenly over the bottom of the prepared springform pan.

In a heavy-duty electric stand mixer, beat the cream cheese, granulated sugar, and vanilla at medium speed until the mixture is well-blended and smooth, with no lumps.

Add the 3 eggs to the cream cheese mixture, one at a time, beating just until each is blended before adding the next. Set this cheesecake filling aside.

In a separate large bowl, whisk together the brown sugar, melted butter, and the remaining egg until everything is well-blended. Then, stir in the flour, cinnamon, baking powder, and salt until just combined.

Fold the peeled and diced apples into the brownie batter gently.

Spoon this apple-brownie batter into the prepared springform pan, spreading it evenly over the pecans. Then, carefully spoon the reserved cream cheese mixture over the brownie layer.

Remove the cheesecake from the oven. Gently run a knife around the outer edge to loosen it from the sides of the pan, but do not remove the springform sides yet.

Let the cheesecake cool completely in the pan on a wire rack for about 2 hours.

While the cheesecake cools, you can start on the caramel apple topping. In a large skillet over medium heat, melt the butter. Add both the sugar and lemon juice.

Cook, stirring constantly with a long-handled wooden spoon, for 5 to 6 minutes, or until the mixture turns a light golden brown.