Fresh Apple Torte

By srumbel

A delicious apple torte with a sweet shortbread crust and cream cheese filling topped with sweet cinnamon apples and almonds.
from afamilyfeast.com

Ingredients

• For the crust
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• For the filling
• 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
• For the topping
• 3 cups apples peeled, cored and thinly sliced
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon McCormick Apple Pie Spice
• 1/3 cup sliced almonds

Details

Preparation time 30mins
Cooking time 85mins

Preparation

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 475 degrees. Lightly grease a 9" springform pan (or a 9" deep dish pie plate may be used).
To make the crust, cream together the butter, 1/3 cup sugar and the one teaspoon vanilla in a bowl. Add the flour and beat to mix well – the mixture will resemble coarse crumbs. Evenly spread the mixture in the pan and press down to completely cover the bottom.
To prepare the filling, beat together the cream cheese, ¼ cup of sugar, egg and ½ teaspoon vanilla until smooth. Pour the filling over the uncooked crust and gently spread until it evenly covers the crust.
In a medium bowl, toss the peeled and sliced apples with the remaining ¼ cup of sugar and Apple Pie Spice. Arrange the apples over the cream cheese layer in a pinwheel design, starting from the outside edge and working toward the middle of the pan.
Any extra apples can be piled on top of the others. Sprinkle the top evenly with the almonds.
Bake at 475 for 10 minutes. Lower the heat to 375 degrees and bake for 25 minutes. Finally, lower the heat to 350 degrees and bake for 20 minutes more.
Remove from oven and let cool before serving.
Yield: 8-10 servings