Week 14: Dutch Apple Cheesecake Bars

I have been on a roll these last few weeks with posting late, but I am still committed to finishing out my 18 weeks of cheesecakes :)  This week we bought a new vehicle (like, last night), because our old vehicle was on its last leg... So, that is partly why I've been late with my postings.  Anyways, this week's (well, technically, last week's) cheesecake is Dutch Apple cheesecake bars.  These were so fun to make and very yummy, too! 

Here is George Geary's Dutch Apple Cheesecake Bars recipe:

2 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
1/2 cup unsalted butter melted

3 packages cream cheese softened
1 cup sour cream
1 1/2 cups packed light brown sugar
4 eggs
1 tbsp vanilla
1 tsp fresh lemon juice
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1 medium apple, chopped

3 tbsp butter, cold
1/4 cup all purpose flour
1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground cloves
12 thin apple slices (instead of thin apple slices, I just used chopped apple)

In a bowl, combine the graham cracker crumbs and melted butter.  Press crumbs into the bottom of a 13x9 inch pan and freeze.
In a large bowl, beat cream cheese, sour cream and 1 1/2 cups light brown sugar on med-high speed for 3 minutes.  Add eggs one at a time, mixing each egg into mixture before adding the next egg.  Mix in vanilla and lemon juice.  Then, mix in 1 tsp cinnamon, 1/2 tsp nutmeg, and 1/4 tsp cloves.  Fold in chopped apple and pour batter over frozen crust.
In another bowl, cut cold butter into flour.  Add remaining sugar, cinnamon and cloves.  Toss in remaining chopped apples.  Sprinkle topping over the batter, and bake 40-50 minutes in a 325 degree oven.  Cool the cheesecake for 2 hours on the counter, and then cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 6 hours.