One of my favorite treats is caramel and apples, most usually just the store-bought caramel will do. I'm not terribly fussy when it comes to something like that. However, if I'm entertaining, which I used to do quite a bit, I want to go a bit farther than a tub of dip and a cut-up apple. This was delicious and when I read the recipe in gourmet class, could NOT wait to try it. The first time I got to sample it, I didn't make it; the girl next to me did. She didn't like it. I told her she was nuts. It's a bit unusual for a cheese ball, but hey, who says the norm is always the way to go?? The cheeseball is an alternative to straight dipping apples. I like to drizzle the caramel on top of the nuts when serving. I have also just spread the mixture on a graham cracker and topped with an apple slice. It's up to you to use the caramel. Passive time is refrigerator time, but is very approximate.