Tuesday, April 22, 2014

Bavarian Apple Torte


Crust:
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/3 cup sugar
1/4 tsp. vanilla
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup chopped pecans

Cream Cheese Filling
1 pkg. (8 oz.) cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup sugar
1 egg, slightly beaten
1/2 tsp. vanilla

Apple Topping:
4 cups sliced apples (4-6 depending upon size)
1/3 cup sugar
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.  In a medium size bowl combine crust ingredients.  Press into the bottom and 1 - 1 1/2" up the side of a 9" springform pan.  Cream the filling ingredients together.  Pour evenly over crust.  In a large bowl toss together apples, sugar and cinnamon.  Evenly spoon over filling.  Bake at 450 degrees for 10 minutes.  Lower heat to 400 and continue to bake for 25 more minutes.  Cool before removing from pan.  Serves 8-10.

Comments:  I found this recipe in an old cookbook and after reading the ingredients I had to give it a try.  I made 1 change and that was to the amount of pecans.  When I chopped my pecans I found that I had about 3/4 cup instead of the 1/2 cup called for so I added them all.  This is one dish that I could eat the crust by itself.  I could eat the filling by itself.  And I could eat the topping by itself.  But when you put them all together you have one very delicious dish.  For my apples I used Gala since that is what I happened to have on hand.  They were perfect.  The pecans give the crust wonderful taste and the texture is perfect.  The filling comes out like a custard and the apple topping is perfectly sweet with just a little firmness.  Don't miss trying this recipe.

Comment from Food Tester Carol:  You may wonder how a person who was not at home for Easter dinner could possibly comment on this pie but I can tell you that the five people who were at home for Easter dinner insisted I write to tell you how marvelous it was.  They told me that the flavors all worked so well together - form ground pecans in the crust, the cream cheese filling and the apples... and not too much sugar that the flavor of the apples was masked.  My family wants me to make this pie at the next family gathering!  They all loved it.






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