the pie project– brown butter and cheddar apple pie.

 

 

I was drawn to this recipe because, hello, cheddar in an apple pie? I need to know more.  But it’s not such an unusual combination, because beyond the crust, apples and cheese are darlings. While reading the notes I saw,

“She employs no cinnamon or nutmeg to cloak their sweet perfume; instead she browns some butter, which complements the apples with a faint nuttiness.”

I realized probably every apple pie I’ve had called for those spices, so I was intrigued. This wasn’t overly sweet and syrupy like many apple pies, I enjoyed that. So often desserts can leave you feeling heavy, this was light, crisp, and delicious.  The apples were slightly sweet, but mostly tart.  In my opinion, the crust was the star of the show with that hint of cheddar at the end.  It was the kind of melt in your mouth flaky that floods your mind and heart with memories of comfort and happiness.

 

Paired with a French press of Starbuck’s Café Verona blend.

Apparently, a pretty pie crust is an art to be learned, because mine looks sad.  Look at this post full of great tips that I found this morning from everyone’s favorite Pioneer Woman.

Do you have any clever little pie tricks? Does making pies terrify you?  What should I make next time?  And if anyone decides to attempt their own pie project or (insert you own whatever here), let me know.