Apple Blue Cheese Bacon Cheesecake

Contributed by Peggy Trowbridge Filippone
Via Bonnie Lowry

Yield: 10-12 Servings
Cook Time: 8-9 Hours

INGREDIENTS:
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 pound bacon, cooked, drained and crumbled (reserve 2 tablespoons of fat)
1/2 onion, diced
1 apple, peeled, cored, and diced
1 clove garlic, minced
Demarle at Home in the Kitchen Sea Salt –Sel Gris (GTS00001), to taste
Freshly ground pepper, to taste
16 ounces (2 large blocks) cream cheese, at room temperature
3 eggs
1/2 tablespoon Demarle at Home in the Kitchen Apple Pear Balsamic Vinegar (LOC00005)
1/8 cup whiskey
6 ounces blue cheese, crumbled
1 tablespoon minced chives or Demarle at Home in the Kitchen Roasted Garlic and Chive Herb Blend (DHM00004)
Sliced fresh apples, toast wedges and/or assorted cocktail crackers

TOOLS:
Flexipan® Fluted Bundt Mold (FM000486)
Medium Perforated Baking Sheet (MA435310)
Demarle Difference Gourmet Fry Pan- 10” (DD902832)
Mixing Bowl (TA000120)
Demarle Difference Santoku Chef’s Knife (DD800001)
Heat Resistant Spatula (TA000108)
Magnetic Dazzling Trio (GRP00001)

Preheat oven to 200 degrees F and place oven rack in center position. Place the Bundt Mold on the Perforated Baking Sheet. Dust mold with 2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese.**

In Fry Pan sauté onion in bacon fat until softened and translucent. Add apple and garlic and continue to sauté over medium heat an additional 2 to 3 minutes until apple begin to soften. Remove from heat and season with salt and pepper. Let cool.

In Mixing Bowl, beat cream cheese until smooth. Add eggs, Balsamic Vinegar and whiskey, beating until smooth. Stir in apple mixture, bacon, blue cheese, remaining Parmesan cheese and chives or Chive Herb Blend by hand.

Pour batter into mold and bake overnight for 8-9 hours. It should be fairly firm and slightly browned. Remove from oven and cool on a rack at least one hour. Cover the top of the cooled cheesecake with plastic wrap.

Invert onto serving dish. Refrigerate at least 1 hour. Reinvert and remove the plastic wrap. Refrigerate 1 hour.
To serve as an appetizer, cut slices with a knife dipped in warm water and garnish with fresh apple slices, toast wedges, baguette and/or cocktail crackers of choice.

** Per Bonnie Lowry, to help Parmesan cheese stick to the sides of the Mold, coat with vegetable oil before dusting with Parmesan cheese.