Carmel Apple Cheesecake Bars

 I am so excited to share this yummy treat!  They were delicious.  The bars themselves were fantastic, but when you add the homemade caramel, it became even more decadent.  I liked the caramel so much that I put some in a bowl and ate it all by itself.  Did I just admit that?  Well, it really was good.  These are a little more labor intensive, but are SO worth it!  They last for a few days in the fridge, so these are great treats to take around to friends and neighbors or for a recipe exchange.
I got the original idea from A hint of Honey, but then saw a slightly varied version at Mel's kitchen cafe.  I decided to use a little from each and make my own variation.  I thought they turned out great..so here is my version.

Caramel Apple Cheesecake bars

Crust:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
¼ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon cinnamon
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened

Cheesecake Filling:
3 8-oz. packages cream cheese, softened
3/4 cup sugar
3 large eggs
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

Apples:
4 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, and finely chopped
2 Tbsp. sugar
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg

Streusel Topping:
1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1 cup all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 cup quick cooking oats
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened

Caramel Sauce: (OR use a 12 oz. jar of canned caramel sauce)
1 1/4 cups (packed) brown sugar
1/2 cup salted butter

1/2 cup heavy cream

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

In a medium bowl, combine flour and brown sugar. Cut in butter with a pastry blender or two forks until mixture is crumbly but combined. Press evenly into a 9X13-inch baking pan lined with aluminum foil. (I would just spray my pan next time with PAM) Bake for 10-15 minutes or until crust is lightly browned on the edges.

In a large bowl, beat cream cheese with sugar in an electric mixer at medium speed until smooth. Then add eggs, 1 at a time, and vanilla. Stir to combine. Pour over warm crust.

In a small bowl, stir together chopped apples, two tablespoons sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Spoon evenly over cream cheese layer.

In a medium bowl, combine all the streusel topping ingredients and mix until crumbly. Spread evenly over apple layer.

To make the caramel sauce, whisk sugar and butter in a heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat until it melts. Bring to a boil, remove from heat, and whisk in cream and stir until sugar dissolves and sauce is smooth, about 3 minutes. Let cool. It can be stored in the refrigerator until ready to use.

Bake in preheated oven for 40-45 minutes, or until filling is set. Drizzle with caramel topping and let cool. Refrigerate until cold. Cut into squares and serve.