Spiced Cider Cheesecake

 

1

cup finely crushed gingerbread cookies or gingersnaps

1

cup graham cracker crumbs

1/4

cup sugar

1/4

cup butter, melted

1

(12-oz.) can frozen apple juice concentrate, thawed

2

tablespoons mulling spices

3/4

cup chopped dried apples

3

(8-oz.) pkg. cream cheese, softened

3/4

cup sugar

2

tablespoons cornstarch

4

eggs

1 1/2

cups sour cream

2

tablespoons sugar

• 1 Heat oven to 350°F. In medium bowl, combine cookie crumbs, graham cracker crumbs and 1/4 cup sugar; mix well. Stir in butter. Reserve 2 tablespoons crumb mixture for garnish. Press remaining crumb mixture in bottom and 2 inches up sides of ungreased 9-inch springform pan.
• 2 Bake at 350°F. for 10 minutes. Cool 10 minutes. Wrap outside of pan, bottom and sides, with heavy-duty foil.
• 3 Meanwhile, in small saucepan, bring apple juice concentrate and mulling spices to a boil over medium-high heat. Boil 10 minutes. Place dried apples in medium bowl. Strain apple juice mixture over apples; discard spices. Cool 15 minutes or until lukewarm, stirring occasionally.
• 4 Beat cream cheese in large bowl at medium speed until creamy. Beat in 3/4 cup sugar and cornstarch until smooth. Reduce speed to low; beat in eggs one at a time, beating just until combined and scraping down sides of bowl after each addition. Beat in lukewarm apple mixture. Pour into crust-lined pan.
• 5 Bake at 350°F. for 50 to 55 minutes or until sides of cheesecake are set and puffed, top is golden brown and center still moves slightly when pan is tapped.
• 6 Meanwhile, in small bowl, combine topping ingredients; blend well.
• 7 Remove cheesecake from oven. Gently spread sour cream topping over cheesecake. Return to oven; bake an additional 5 minutes. Center will still move slightly when pan is tapped. Turn off oven; let cheesecake stand in oven with door slightly ajar for 10 minutes. Remove cheesecake from oven. Cool in pan on wire rack for 1 hour.
• 8 Sprinkle reserved 2 tablespoons of crumb mixture over top of cheesecake. Cover; refrigerate at least 3 hours or overnight before serving.
• 9 To serve, remove sides of pan. Cut cheesecake into wedges.