BEST CARAMEL APPLE-BROWNIE CHEESECAKE

INGREDIENTS:
- 3/4 cup pecans
- 2 (8-oz. or 227 grs.) packages cream cheese, softened
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 4 large eggs, divided and at room temperature
- 1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/2 cups baking apples (e.g. Granny Smith or Cortland), peeled and diced
Caramel Apple Topping (recipe follows)
-
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
- 5 large Granny Smith apples, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch-thick ( about 1.25 cm) wedges
Caramel Sauce (recipe follows)
- 1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter
- 1/4 cup heavy whipping cream
- 1/4 cup honey
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
INSTRUCTIONS:
- Preheat oven to 350°F (180° C). Bake pecans in a single layer in a shallow pan for about 7-8 minutes or until lightly toasted and fragrant, stirring halfway through.Remove from oven, let cool down, and chop. Reserve.
- Reduce oven temperature to 325°F (about 160° C). Grease and flour a 9-inch (22.5 cm) springform pan. Sprinkle pecans over bottom of the prepared pan and reserve …