373. APPLE, BLUE CHEESE, and BACON CHEESECAKE

yields 1 cheesecake


Nonstick vegetable spray
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 pound bacon
1 onion, chopped
2 apples, peeled, cored and cut into medium dice
2 cloves garlic, minced
Salt & pepper to taste
32 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature (reduced fat is okay)
3 tablespoons wine vinegar
1/4 cup whiskey
12 ounces blue cheese, crumbled
5 eggs

Preheat oven to 200 degrees F. Spray nonstick oil inside a 9-inch springform pan and dust with 3 tablespoons of Parmesan. Set aside.

In a skillet, cook the bacon until crisp. Drain, crumble and reserve. Discard all but 2 tablespoons of the bacon fat. Add the onion to the fat in the pan and cook over medium heat until soft (2 minutes). Add the apples and garlic and continue cooking until the onion is very tender and the apple has lost its raw look (2 to 3 more minutes). Remove from heat, add the salt and pepper - set aside.

In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese until soft. Mix in the vinegar, whiskey, blue cheese, remaining Parmesan and eggs. Add bacon and apple reserves. Mix well. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and place in the oven. Clean up and go to bed.

Eight to nine hours later (the exact time doesn't matter), the cake will appear set, the top will have barely colored, and the surface will be flawless. Remove to a rack and cool in the pan for 1 hour. Cover with a sheet of plastic wrap or wax paper and an inverted plate. Holding the plate tight to the pan, invert both. Remove the pan and refrigerate the cake upside down for at least 1 hour. Invert a serving plate over the whole cheesecake and invert the whole thing. Remove the top plate and the paper. Cover and refrigerate. Cut with a long sharp knife dipped in warm water to prevent sticking. Serve as is or garnish with crisp toasts and freshly sliced apples.


courtesy of: The Washington Post, date of publication unknown