Apple Cheesecake Burritos

Source: Apple Pie Perfect - Ken Haedrich

When you think about it, a burrito is actually a kind of pie-a hand pie. So I have no qualms about offering you this excellent recipe for a sort of warm apple cheesecake pie with a tortilla "crust." It tastes like a cheesecake because there is a sweetened cream cheese layer in the filling, but it also has another layer of saut�ed diced apples tossed with brown sugar and graham cracker crumbs. These layers are wrapped in a warm flour tortilla, slathered with softened butter, and dusted with sugar, then briefly broiled to give the outside a crispy texture. The kids will love these hand pies, and they're great for fall parties. The recipe can be easily multiplied to make more servings.

1 (3 ounce) package cold cream cheese
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
2 whole graham crackers
2 tablespoons firmly packed light brown sugar
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 Golden Delicious or other firm-textured baking apple,
    peeled, cored, and cut into 1/2-inch chunks
2 (8- or 9-inch) flour tortillas

Glaze:
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, softened
Granulated sugar

Put the cream cheese on a small plate and mash well with a fork. Add the granulated sugar and lemon juice and mash again. Refrigerate.

Break the graham crackers up coarsely and put them in a zipper-topped plastic storage bag. Using a rolling pin, crush the crackers to make fine crumbs. Put the crumbs in a medium-size mixing bowl. Add the brown sugar and cinnamon and toss well to mix. Set aside.

Melt the butter in a medium-size skillet. Add the apple chunks and cook, stirring, over medium heat until they're heated through but still crunchy, about 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and scrape into the crumb mixture, tossing well to mix with the crumbs. Set aside. Heat the broiler.

To assemble the burritos, warm one of the tortillas just until it's flexible in a skillet over low heat. Place the tortilla on the counter and spread half of the cream cheese mixture in the center of it, in a rectangle about 1 1/4 inches wide and 4 inches across. Spoon half of the apple crumb mixture on top of the cheese, then fold the sides over the filling as if you were making the first 2 folds of a regular burrito. Next fold the edge closest to you over the filling, then roll up the burrito to seal. Repeat for the other tortilla and the rest of the cream cheese and apple mixtures.

Place the burritos in a shallow, buttered baking dish, seam side down. Smear the softened butter over the surface and sprinkle with sugar. Run the burritos under the broiler-6 to 8 inches from the heat-until the tops are golden brown, 1 to 2 minutes. Watch them like a hawk, so they don't burn.

Transfer to a cutting board and cut in half diagonally before serving.

Makes 2 regular or 4 modest dessert or snack-size servings.