This dessert...a pie? Or a cake? Who knows, but it is delicious either way. The perfect balance of caramel, apples, and cream cheese, this dish is a show stopper.

Supplies

Crust

-1/2 of a box graham crackers (1 and 1/2 packets) 204g

-5 tbs melted butter

-1 tbs sugar

Cream Cheese Filling

-16 oz of cream cheese

-1 1/4 cup sour cream

-1 cup sugar

-1/4 tsp salt

-2 eggs

-1/4 tsp vanilla

Apple Topping

-4 apples

-1/4 cup sugar

-1 tbs cinnamon

-2 tbs lemon juice

Caramel Sauce

-1/4 cup sugar

-5 tsp water

-1/2 tsp corn starch

-1 tbs butter

Step 1: The Graham Cracker Crust

Put the graham crackers (204g, about 1 1/2 packs), sugar, and melted butter into a food processor. Pulse this mixture until it is coarse...like wet sand.

Step 2: Grease Pan and Bake

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Use butter to grease the bottom of a spring form pan (10 inch). Cut strips of parchment paper to line the edges of the pan so the cream cheese mixture doesn't stick to the sides. Pour in the graham cracker crust and use a flat surface to spread it and pack it down. Bake for 7 minutes. Baking the crust alone helps to solidify it so that the cream cheese filling doesn't make it soggy.

Step 3: Cut Apples

Cut four medium apples, you probably only need 3 large apples. Slice them thin and evenly. Try to make each slice the same size as this makes scaling a lot easier. Once they are all sliced, place them in a large bowl with 2 tbs lemon juice, 2 tbs water, sugar, and cinnamon. Mix, then microwave for 1 minute. Mix again and microwave for another minute. This helps to soften the apples.

Step 4: Cream Cheese Filling

Cream together cream cheese, sugar, salt, vanilla, and sour cream until smooth. Add each egg in one at a time to avoid a lumpy batter.

Step 5: Pour It In!

Pour the mixture into the already baked crust. Put into the oven (still at 375) for 30 minutes. Once the time is up, take it out but don't turn the heat off as it will go back into the oven.

Step 6: Apples on Top

Once the 25 minutes is up, take it out of the oven and start placing the apples on top. Make sure the first layer is evenly spread over the top, completely covering the cheesecake. The second layer will be the scales pattern. Overlap them as shown above and admire your beautiful creation...then put it back into the oven for another 20 minutes.

Step 7: Caramel Sauce (Optional)

Melt the butter on low heat and pour in sugar. Add half the water or as needed to melt the sugar completely. This process can take 3-4 minutes. Once you have a color you like, remove from heat and mix the rest of the water with the cornstarch. Make sure the cornstarch is completely dissolved before adding it into the caramel. Brush this mixture onto the top of the cake...or is it a pie? Put in the fridge for at least 3 hours to let the cheesecake set and solidify.