• Preheat oven to 350°F degrees. Grease or spray your tart pan, set aside.

To prepare crust

• Toast the pecan pieces in a dry small skillet for just a few minutes to enhance the flavor and crunch.
• Place butter in a medium sized microwave safe bowl, and melt the butter on in the microwave on HIGH for about 45 seconds.
• Add the remaining crust ingredients and thoroughly mix together.
  
• Press the crumb mixture into the prepared tart pan being careful to press into all the nooks and crannies evenly.
• Bake tart crust for 8 minutes and set aside.
  

To make filling

• Using the same bowl you used to make the crust, cream the cream cheese and sugar until fluffy.
  
• Add the egg, apple butter, vanilla, molasses, corn starch, salt, and nutmeg. Blend completely, scraping down the sides often.
• Pour the filling into your freshly baked crust.
  

To make apple roses

• Wash and core the apples, but do not peel.
• Working one apple at a time cut them in half, slightly off center so one side is larger than the other. 
• Using a mandolin set at ⅛ of an inch or sharp knife; slice the apples thinly one half at a time. You could also use a vegetable peeler.
• Place the apple slices in small batches on a plate and microwave for 40 seconds or until soft and pliable. 
  
• When cool enough to handle; take one smallish piece of apple and roll tightly, take a second piece and wrap around the first, repeat with larger pieces until you get something that looks enough like a rose to satisfy you. 
• If the apple slices are snapping, microwave them again, a few seconds at a time. 
• This process will take at least 30 minutes and 2 vodka tonics.
• This is not a task for impatient people and it’s totally okay to throw the occasional stupid, failing, big dumb, falling apart rose in the dog’s dish. 
• Place roses on top of the cheesecake filling, they will sink in a bit, don’t worry. Cover the cake with roses as best as you can.
  
• Brush your masterpiece with a spoon of apricot jam thinned with lemon juice to prevent over browning.
  
• Preheat the oven to 350°F degrees
• Place pan on a baking sheet and bake 1 hour and 10 minutes. Test with a toothpick for doneness.
• Let cool for an hour before attempting to remove from tart pan. 
• Have your camera ready because this is a showstopper! Great job!!!