White Cheddar and Apple Mini Pies with Cinnamon-Infused Honey

White Cheddar Apple Pie | bettysliu.comIt’s #cheesebabyshower time!!! I go on and on about the food community but it truly is a wonderful one, and this is a prime example of how friendly it can be. I first met Sarah last summer and together, with Alanna, we made three types of hand pies!!! I made stop motion vignettes, we chatted (and tried delicious test-bakes) about Alanna’s upcoming cookbook, and I learned that Sarah was pregnant! I’m so happy to participate in Sarah’s virtual, warm, baby shower to celebrate cheese-baby. Just looking at all the contributions made me a bit teary-eyed. Congratulations Sarah, and I can’t wait to visit next time I’m back in the bay :). A huge thanks to Alanna and Todd for masterminding this party!

White Cheddar Apple Pie | bettysliu.com

White Cheddar Apple Pie | bettysliu.comAt first I was going to make something matcha-related, because we had extensive conversations about matcha (basically, we obsessed over it), but then I started dreaming up cheese + sweet combinations, which score “bonus” points, and I couldn’t stop thinking about a New England classic: apple pie with a slab of cheddar cheese. Before I moved to Boston, I’d never heard of such a thing. And at first, I was confused – how would that work? I put it aside, but the next time I was at Whole Foods, I tried some Vermont extra sharp white cheddar made with raw milk, and I instantly thought of apples. Tart sweet apples with this sharp white cheddar seemed like the perfect marriage, and I began to play around with the concept of a white cheddar apple pie, mini-version, of course! You all know I’ve been preoccupied with combining savory and sweet (like miso apple pie, watermelon mentsuyu salad), with adding some umami to desserts to really bring out the flavors, and this pie does it. It really does. I grated white cheddar right into the crust, and then gently placed a slab of white cheddar right when the pie came out of the oven, allowing the residual heat and steam to melt that slab right on the crust.

White Cheddar Apple Pie | bettysliu.comWhite Cheddar Apple Pie | bettysliu.com
White Cheddar Apple Pie | bettysliu.com

Combining white cheddar and apples made me hesitant about adding cinnamon. Normally, I liberally add cinnamon, nutmeg, and other spices to my apple pie, because what goes better together than apple and cinnamon (maybe cheese and apples), but I didn’t want the spice to overrule the umami white cheddar. I omitted it entirely in the filling, and it worked out really well. Instead, I infused some honey with cinnamon and drizzled that over the pie before serving, and I’m happy to say it worked. A hint of spice over melted cheese, a flaky crust, and warm apple filling – that’s happiness in a plate.

White Cheddar Apple Pie | bettysliu.comWhite Cheddar Apple Pie | bettysliu.com

White Cheddar Apple Pie | bettysliu.com

finish with a drizzle of cinnamon infused honey 🙂

White Cheddar Apple Pie | bettysliu.comWhite Cheddar Apple Pie | bettysliu.com

Please hop on and visit all the other attendees to this  #cheesebabyshower!!!!

Cheesy Things

Sweet Things

Cheesy & Sweet Things


 

Notes: I used mini tart pans, but you can use any vessel you want – full sized pie, cupcake tin, mini cocottes, little tart molds – any will work, just keep an eye on the baking time.

RECIPE: White Cheddar and Apple Mini Pies with Cinnamon-Infused Honey
As always, pie crust from Four & Twenty Blackbirds

Cinnamon Infused Honey

1/2 cup honey
cinnamon stick

Simply put honey and cinnamon stick in a pot and heat on low for 10-15 minutes. Then, pour into a bottle with cinnamon stick and let sit overnight.

Pie Crust

2 1/2 cups flour
2 sticks butter, cubed into 1 cm pieces, cold – prepare this beforehand
1 tsp salt
3 tsp sugar
3/4 cup cold water
1 cup extra sharp white cheddar, grated

Filling

3-4 apples, I used Macintosh, a new England staple for apple pie, and 1 Granny Smith for extra tartness, peeled and cored and sliced
juice from 1/2 lemon + zest
½ tsp coarse salt
1/2  cup brown sugar
2 tbsp flour

egg wash – 1 egg + splash of water, beaten
demarara sugar

slabs of extra sharp white cheddar

Prepare: Cube butter into 1cm pieces, and place it in a bowl in the freezer. I find that this allows the butter to get very cold before you work with it. Place cold water into the freezer as well. Don’t worry about it freezing- you will use it before it can freeze.

Combine flour, salt, sugar, grated cheese.

Take cold butter, and using a pastry cutter, fork, or fingers, work quickly and cut butter into dry ingredients. Pea size chunks will remain, and that’s completely fine.

Using tablespoons at a time, mix cold water into dry ingredients until just combined. Do not overmix or knead. Add the mixture gradually – you can always add more water, but you can’t take it out. The resulting dough should be damp but not moist.

Separate dough into two halves. Shape into disks and wrap with plastic wrap. Place in fridge. Let dough rest for at least 1 hour.

Filling: Squeeze lemon juice over apple slices, toss with brown sugar, salt, and flour.

Assemble: Line tart pans with pie dough. Arrange apple spices over it. Roll out other half of pie dough and arrange in lattice or full-crust form. Place in fridge for another 10-15 minutes. Brush with egg wash, sprinkle demarara sugar over the top, and for the full-crust pies, slice some venting slits on top. Bake at 375 for 30-40 minutes, until top is golden brown.

Serve: with a slab of white cheddar right on top of the crust (or on the side, up to you), and allow the residual heat to melt cheddar onto the crust. Serve by drizzling cinnamon infused honey on top.

White Cheddar Apple Pie | bettysliu.com

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  • I’ve been dreaming about cheese with apple pie for years since watching Pushing Daisies. These sounds amazing. Beautiful photos as well!ReplyCancel

  • Ahhhh these are so gorgeous Betty!! I’ve been intrigued by the cheddar apple pie for years and STILL haven’t given it a go. This version with cinnamon infused honey looks perfect! I can’t wait to see you next time you’re in town. xoxoReplyCancel

  • Girl, would you believe I had a dairy allergy scare last year? Like, I didn’t eat any dairy for almost six months because I thought I was having an allergic reaction! But thank god I’ve confirmed I am NOT allergic to dairy so I can totally drool over and dream about these adorable, cheesy apple pies in a totally attainable way! Your photography is just. STUNNING. Like jaw-dropping. These teensy pies have my heart…and stomach. So much love for you, these pies and Sarah!!!ReplyCancel

  • IN LOVE. WITH THESE. Omg. Please make them for me. They are everything. Gimme.ReplyCancel

  • These pies!! I was always skeptical about the cheddar apple pie until my mom made one and then I was SOLD. That cinnamon honey sounds like the perfect finishing touch! So beautiful, Betty!ReplyCancel

  • Your mini pies are so, so gorgeous! The apple/cheddar combination is already a cheese plate favourite of mine, and I am sure Sarah would absolutely love these. So happy to see all the posts from everyone to celebrate her and her little cheese baby! xoReplyCancel

  • I looooove these. I tried apple pie with cheddar for the first time in a little pie shop in Julian and have loved the sweet/salty combo…even though I have to admit I was initially a little off put by the big orange square of melted cheese on top of the pretty slice of pie.

    And the cinnamon honey <— a world of YESSSS.ReplyCancel

  • These are so beautiful! You crimped them beautifully and I wish I had those pie skills. The flavor combination is too good as well – perfect blend of the sweet and savory! 🙂ReplyCancel

  • I’m so glad you went the sweet + savory route – I’ve been making rosemary apple galettes all season and why I’ve never thought to put white cheddar in it is beyond me – clearly I’ve been missing out! I love everything about these hand pies (cinnamon infused honey to boot?! you’re so inspirational to me). I too got all teary-eyed looking at all of the sweet recipes and generous words people shared in this virtual shower. I’m so happy to have gotten to cook with you in real life and can’t wait until we finally get to do it again! Thank you for constantly inspiring me with your creative recipes and your photos. xoxo!ReplyCancel

  • Betty, these look fantastic and those tender slices of apple have me drooling. I can’t get enough of fruit right now. The addition of tangy cheese seems perfect in this recipe, and I know it’s definitely something I’d buy if I saw it at a bakery. Heck, I love cheddar in my scones! xP And I too am so amazed by the sweet community we can find in the food blogging world. Having emerged from a healthy living/fitness blog community, I can say I’ve lived and seen the good and bad of both worlds….many were extremely sweet and supportive in that community for sure, but there’s something more universal and “communal” on this side of the spectrum and it’s definitely warmer, with less competition. <33ReplyCancel

  • This sounds incredible! I love to pair cheese with something sweet (think, for example, goat cheese, pear, caramelized onion, walnut, & thyme) but have never used this sweet and savory combination in pies. (Why oh why?) Thanks for the inspiration, Betty. Again.ReplyCancel

  • I just love the sound of that honey! Well, actually, these pies in general sound amazing. The cheddar in the crust is just magic!ReplyCancel

  • Such a lovely idea, Betty! Cheese and apple are such classic pairing but I would never have thought to put them in a pie! <3 xReplyCancel

  • Again with another incredibly unique and inspirational recipe Betty! Cheese and apple isn’t something that automatically fits together in my head, but these pies look absolutely perfect – especially in the mini size. xReplyCancel

  • Your pies look amazing! Gorgeous photos! I’m having so much fun visiting the sites on this virtual baby shower of yours during my snow day in DC … what an awesome community of bloggers 🙂ReplyCancel

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