IT’S FINALLY HERE!!!!

My cookbook “The Farmer’s Daughter Bakes” is now available at a book store near you!! (And online of course!!) Order from one of the links below, or simply call up your local bookstore and ask them to order it in for you! Abbotsford (my hometown!) locals!! You can pre-order it from Hemingway’s Books right HERE :)

My family’s farm, Willow View Farms, is also carrying it in our country store…and I’ve signed and written a little note in each copy, so come by and pick it up from us if you can!

I poured my heart into this book, and I truly hope that it becomes a treasured item in your kitchen. The thought of becoming part of your traditions makes me unbelievably happy and grateful! I am so excited to share little pieces of my life growing up on the farm with you, as each recipe intro includes snippets of memories and how they influenced how I bake. There are rustic cakes, intricate slab pies, uniquely flavoured tarts, and of course a few seasonal preserves…there’s something for everyone! And if you happen to make a recipe from it, please share!! I always love hearing from you.

I feel too overwhelmed to share any more here…so thank you again for all the support, and we’ll chat more about the book SOON!!

And to celebrate…I’m sharing the cover recipe with you. Apple Crisp Cheesecake!

apple crisp salted caramel cheesecake

recipe: Kelsey Siemens from my cookbook “The Farmer’s Daughter Bakes”
yields one 10-in. cheesecake

ingredients

For the crust

1 1/2 cups (128 g) graham cracker crumbs

2 tablespoons (28 g) packed brown sugar

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon ground allspice

1/4 cup (60 mL) melted unsalted butter

For the salted caramel sauce

1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar

1/3 cup (80 mL) water

6 tablespoons (84 g) unsalted butter

1/2 cup (120 mL) whipping cream

1 teaspoon salt

For the cheesecake

3 cups (696 g) cream cheese, room temperature or softer

3/4 cup (150 g) granulated sugar

1/2 cup (120 mL) full-fat plain Greek yogurt

1/2 cup (120 mL) salted caramel sauce, plus extra for serving, if desired

1 teaspoon (5 mL) vanilla extract

3 large eggs

For the apple filling

3–4 medium tart apples, such as Elstar, Pink Lady or Granny Smith

1/2 tablespoon (8 mL) lemon juice

1 tablespoon (8 g) all-purpose flour

3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

For the crumb topping

1/2 cup (63 g) all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 cup (110 g) packed brown sugar

3/4 cup (68 g) rolled oats

1/4 cup (60 mL) melted unsalted butter

to make

For the crust

1. Preheat oven to 325 F.

2. In a medium bowl, stir together the graham cracker crumbs, brown sugar, salt, allspice and melted butter. Press firmly into a 10-in. (25-cm) springform pan and bake for 10 to 12 minutes, or until fragrant. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool.

For the salted caramel sauce

1. In a medium saucepan, combine the sugar and water. Cook over medium heat, giving the pot a gentle swirl every couple of minutes to help it cook more evenly. Cook for 5 to 10 minutes, and soon you will notice a light yellow color. Keep swirling the pot occasionally and cook until the sugar turns a dark amber, but be careful not to burn it.

2. Add the butter chunks and stir rapidly with a wooden spoon. When the butter is completely melted and incorporated, stir in the whipping cream. The mixture will bubble up quite a bit, so be careful! Keep stirring and allow the mixture to cook for 1 minute over medium heat.

3. Remove the pan from the burner and stir in the salt. The caramel will be quite thin at this point and that’s normal, as it will thicken as it cools. Let it cool to room temperature, stirring occasionally to help release heat.

For the cheesecake

1. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mix the cream cheese and sugar on medium-low until completely smooth, 2 to 3 minutes.

2. Add the yogurt, salted caramel sauce and vanilla extract, and mix on medium until completely combined.

3. With the mixer on low, add the eggs one at a time, until completely incorporated. Use a spatula to scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl throughout this process. Try not to overmix the batter and stop mixing once it’s smooth.

4. Scrape the cheesecake batter onto the crust and set aside.

For the apple filling

1. Peel and chop the apples into ¼-in. (6-mm) cubes. You should have about 4 cups (480 g) of apple cubes.

2. In a medium bowl, toss the apple pieces with lemon juice, flour and cinnamon.

3. Spread evenly over the cheesecake layer.

For the crumb topping

1. In a medium bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, brown sugar, oats and melted butter until coarse crumbs form.

2. Sprinkle evenly over the apple layer.

To bake

1. Bake cheesecake for 65 to 75 minutes, or until the apple pieces are easily pierced by a fork. If the crumb layer starts getting too brown while baking, cover with a sheet of aluminum foil.

2. Remove from the oven when done and immediately run a thin knife along the edges to help it release from the pan. Allow to cool for 10 to 15 minutes, release the springform pan and remove. This helps the cake cool faster. Cool the cake for at least 1 hour, and then move to the fridge for several more hours or overnight before serving.

3. Once chilled, move to an airtight container to store until ready to serve. Drizzle with additional caramel sauce, if desired. Leftovers will keep in the fridge for up to a week or in the freezer for 2 to 3 months.

tips: Use a very deep springform pan! This recipe is quite tall, but doesn’t rise in the oven at all…so pile it high!

Make sure that your apples are easily pierced by a fork before removing from the oven…this may mean adding more baking time! Baking time can vary with your oven and the type of pan you’re using.

**Order from the links below, or contact your local bookstore and ask them to order it in for you!!**

*starred links are affiliate links - it doesn’t cost you any extra to use, but I receive a small commission that helps me buy more butter!*

Amazon (Canada)*
Amazon (U.S.) *
Barnes & Noble
Books-a-Million
Chapters Indigo (Canada)
Indiebound (find local bookstores near you!)
Target

International Orders!!
Find it on your countries amazon site!
Book Depository (worldwide with free shipping!)
Adlibris (Sweden)
ABC (Netherlands)

And a huge thank you to my sister Jordyn, and dear friend Kristie (from The Sweet and Simple Kitchen) who helped bake for this shoot, as well as helped me drag everything out to our farm’s orchard and set up for this shoot!!