Prepare Crust:

1.Preheat oven to 350 F degrees. Prepare 9-inch spring-form pan by turning the bottom pan upside down so baked cheesecake will slide off easily onto serving pedestal once chilled. Lightly coat with cooking spray, bottom and sides of pan.

2. In a food processor fitted with steel blade, pulse grahams to fine even crumbs, about 60 seconds.  Add sugar, cinnamon and salt. Pulse to combine. Add melted butter in slow steady speed while pulsing processor. Graham crackers should be moist and look like wet sand.

4. Fill spring form pan with crumbs. Level crumbs on bottom and up the sides of the pan leaving 1” from the topsides of the pan free of crumbs.  Using the back of a small measuring cup, press the sides and bottom of pan to solidify and pack graham crackers.  

5. Bake in preheated 350 F. degree oven, crust for 8 minutes. Remove to cooling rack. Once cooled, triple-wrap the bottom of the pan with heavy-duty aluminum foil. Set the foil lined-pan in a large roasting pan with 4” sides for hot water bath.

6. Turn oven down to 325 F. degrees while making fillings. Heat 4 to 6 cups of water for water bath.

Prepare Crumble Topping and Apple Filling

1.    Crumble Topping: melt butter in glass measuring cup add orange extract, sugar, salt, cinnamon and flour. Toss with fork to combine. Chill until needed.

2.    Apple Filling: Place diced apples in small bowl, toss with lemon juice. Combine cinnamon, sugar, and cornstarch. Pour over the apples and toss to coat. Set aside while making cheesecake filling. 

Making Cheesecake Filling

1.    Beat softened cream cheese in a large bowl using a stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment. Beat until smooth and creamy. Scrape down sides and bottom of bowl mix cheese to blend. In small bowl, combine sugar and flour.  With mixer running on medium speed, slowly add sugar flour mix. Beat until smooth, scraping down sides and bottom of mixing bowl.

2.    Add eggs one at a time mixing on medium low speed, mix until yolk is blended before adding another egg. Do not over beat cheese mixture.

3.    Add orange and vanilla extract with sour cream to cheese mixture, beating on low speed until combined. Scrape down sides and bottom of mixing bowl, using rubber spatula fold mixture to blend evenly.

Assembling Cheesecake

1.    Pour cheesecake filling into crust foil lined prepared pan. Smooth to evenly spread filling over bottom of pan.  Carefully spoon diced apple filling over the cheesecake filling beginning at the outer edge of pan working in toward the center. Do not mound the center with apple filling.

2.    Use a fork and break up the crumble topping, leaving some pieces in large clumps. Sprinkle over the diced apples taking care not to overload the center of the cake.

3.    Pull out medium rack half way out of oven. Place cheesecake in middle of roasting pan, place in oven on medium center rack. While rack is out fill  roasting pan with hot water half way up the sides of the spring-form pan. Slide rack inside oven. Bake at 325F until the center jiggles slightly and top is golden brown. Bakes about 90 +10 additional minutes if needed.

4.    Turn oven off and prop door open with wooden spoon handle.  Allow cheesecake to cool in hot water bath for one hour. Transfer cheesecake to wire rack and remove foil.  Slide a small thin knife around the inside edge of the pan to loosen cheesecake.  Leave cheesecake in the pan and cool to room temperature about 2 hours.

5.    Once cooled, cover with plastic wrap and chill overnight or 24 hours.

To Serve: Remove sides of spring-form pan and carefully slide cake to serving pedestal-cake stand. Right before serving, drizzle with room temperature caramel sauce, sea salt and garnish with slivers of apple slices on top center of cake. Slice into wedges and serve. Serve each serving slice with 3 small slivers of apple with peeling if desired.

Notes: Slicing cheesecake is best when cake is very cold. To slice clean slices, warm the cake knife under hot water, carefully dry before slicing. Repeat for each slice. Avoid dragging the knife with each slice.

Cheesecake can be frozen with out caramel sauce and apples. Wrap carefully in freezer wrap and then plastic wrap then seal in airtight container.

Unwrap and thaw over night before serving.