In this Post: Cheddar-Crusted Apple Pie with Salted Cajeta

Does the world really need another apple pie recipe? Isn’t the Internet already completely saturated with them – with apple pies ad infinitum? It honestly is guys. If you “Google apple pie recipe,” the number of hits you’ll get is impressively large. Which, objectively speaking, is a good thing I suppose. That means people are making, eating, loving, sharing, and writing about apple pie, which is a lovely notion, right? I think it is. But as a person who writes recipes as a job and at least tries to offer up things that are somewhat new – somewhat unique – the thought of throwing up yet another apple pie into the already large and yes, totally saturated, collection of them across the interweb isn’t particularly inspiring.

But.

I recently sampled a cheddar-crusted apple pie and was stopped right in my tracks by how delicious it was. What a twist! It was catch-you-off-guard delicious and in my recreation recipe here, that little bit of cheddar cheese that gets woven right into the flakiest all-butter crust works little miracles as it bakes. A few hints of sharp n’ savory flavor can really do wonders to an otherwise sugary sweet pie – we know this. So, the cheese is such a welcome guest to the party. Like, the guest you didn’t really know was coming, but they turn out to be the total life of the shindig. Cracking jokes, telling witty stories and never ever letting the conversation or vibe drop below a very happy, positive level. That’s the cheese in this pie! This Cheddar-Crusted Apple Pie with Salted Cajeta. It’s the best pie party crasher. Oh, and then there’s the salted cajeta. Which is also a wonderful addition to the mix. Cajeta is simply goat’s milk caramel (okay, maybe that’s not all that simple). But you can typically find this in most supermarkets or grocery stores these days and if you cannot, just swap in your favorite salted caramel and your cheddar-crusted apple pie will still be sticky-sweet-buttery-slightly salty-flaky and oh-so-subtly spiced in all the right ways.

So, yes. I suppose I am contributing another apple pie to the Internet’s already overflowing pool of them. But this flaky girl’s got her party pants on and I’d like to think she stands out among the crowd.

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Cheddar-Crusted Apple Pie with Salted Cajeta

I'm not a fan of adding ingredients just because it sounds cool, or because it reads interestingly in a recipe's title. Nope, that's not my thing. I'm only into adding ingredients to a recipe if they truly serve a purpose, and in the case of this picture-perfect apple pie - the cheddar serves such a good purpose. You won't believe what a little cheddar cheese can do to a classic all-butter pie crust ... This combination is a classic for a reason, folks. Cheddar does, in fact, make it better. Skeptical? You'll just have to trust me and give it a go. 

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Servings 8

Author Harvest & Honey

Ingredients

• 2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour plus extra for dusting
• 1.5 tsp sugar
• ¼ tsp salt
• 1 cup cold unsalted butter, cut into ½-inch pieces
• 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese I always use Tillamook Sharp Cheddar
• 3 ½ lbs apples very thinly sliced (I use a mix of different varieties)
• ½ cup granulated sugar
• ¼ cup all-purpose corn starch you can use AP flour
• ½ cup brown sugar light or dark
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• ½ tsp ground allspice
• ¼ tsp freshly grated nutmeg
• 1/2 cup store-bought cajeta or you can make your own or sub salted caramel (goat’s milk caramel)
• 1 tsp salt for the cajeta, or to taste
• 1 egg beaten
• 1 Tbsp milk or cream
• 1 Tbsp turbinado sugar for sprinkling (optional)

Instructions

For the pie crust: Combine the flour, sugar and salt in the bowl of a food processor and pulse it a few times to blend the ingredients. Add the butter and pulse until the mixture resembles crumbly sand. Add the cheese and pulse again, just until the cheese is worked evenly into the mixture. Add 6 Tbsp of ice water, a little at a time, and pulse just until the mixture is fully moistened and beginning to come together. You can add 1 more Tbsp, if needed. Divide the dough in half, and shape each half into a round disc. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before using.

For the filling: Combine the apples, sugars, corn starch, and spices in a large bowl and toss to combine.

1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Adjust the baking rack to the center of the oven.
2. Roll out 1 disc of the dough on a lightly floured surface into a 12-inch round. Transfer to a 9-inch pie dish.
3. Combine the cajeta and 1 tsp of salt in a small bowl.

4. Add the apples to the empty pie shell and top with the cajeta, allowing it to spill down into the folds and crevices in between the apples. Roll out the second dough round into the same 12-inch circle. Cut the dough into long, even-sized strips. I like to make my strips thicker – about 1.5 inches wide. Create a lattice top to the pie using an online tutorial or, if you prefer, you can simply keep the dough whole and lay it over top of the apples like a blanket. Just be sure to slice several slits into the top to allow steam to vent.

5. Press the edges to seal the crust and trim it as needed, tucking or crimping any overhang however you like (you just want it flush with the edge of the pie plate). Combine the beaten egg with the milk or cream and brush the pie with that egg wash. Sprinkle with the turbinado sugar. Place the pie on baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes.

6. Lower the oven temperature to 350 degrees F and bake for 35 to 45 minutes longer, until the crust is golden brown. Cool to room temperature, at least 3 hours, before slicing (the pie won't slice cleanly if it's still warm). You can warm the slices up after slicing, if you like. 

Recipe Notes

Try to keep the butter as cold as possible while you’re building the pie. Keep one of the discs in the fridge while you’re rolling and working with the other. Also, don’t discard your apple cores! I like to save/freeze them to simmer with water and spices for fresh apple stock. It’s my secret weapon to making great fall soups (think butternut squash or pumpkin soup) and apple butters.

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