Caramel Apple Cheesecake

Ingredients

• 1 (21 oz. can) apple fruit filling; divided
• 1 (9 or 10 inch) graham cracker crust
• 2 (8 oz. packages) cream cheese; softened
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 eggs
• 1/4 cup caramel topping
• 12 half pecans plus 2 tablespoons chopped pecans

Method

Preheat oven to 350 F. Reserve 3/4 cup apple filling. Spoon remaining filling into crust. Beat together cream cheese, sugar and vanilla until smooth. Add eggs and beat well. Pour over apple filling. Bake 35 minutes or until center is set. Cool. Mix reserved apple filling and caramel topping in a small saucepan. Heat about 1 minute. Arrange apple slices around outside edge of cheesecake. Spoon caramel sauce onto the cheesecake and spread evenly. Decorate with pecan halves around edge. Sprinkle with chopped pecans. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Yield: 8 to 12 servings