Thinly sliced apple, creamy brie, and gouda topped with apple cider onion jam, crispy prosciutto, then drizzled with sweet honey. This Gourmet Apple Grilled Cheese sandwich screams fall.
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Every Autumn, I like to get the most of the season's local apple picking scene. There are several in my area, but one, in particular, I pass driving to work. Typically, I will stop and grab donuts, apples, and apple cider.
I created this recipe inspired by my local apple farm. This Apple Grilled Cheese pairs well with my Smoky Pumpkin Butternut Squash Soup for extra autumnal vibes.
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Ingredients
- salted butter
- fresh thyme
- garlic
- sourdough bread
- gouda cheese
- brie cheese
- apple
- prosciutto
- Apple cider onion jam
- Local raw honey
See the recipe card for quantities.
How to make an apple and brie grilled cheese
First, make the Apple Cider Onion Jam in a large saucepan. Begin by cooking down onions, shallots, garlic, and celery salt with two tablespoons of salted butter, until it is soft and beginning to caramelize.
Next, deglaze the pan with Marsala wine. Let the wine cook at a simmer for a few minutes before adding the cinnamon stick and thyme bundle. Then, pour in the apple cider juice and continue to cook the liquid at a simmer to reduce it by half. After it becomes more concentrated, remove the cinnamon and thyme bundle. Now, toss the onion mixture with brown sugar.
As the sugar melts, the liquid will continue to decrease, creating a more jammy consistency. When this happens, add the apple cider vinegar to help thicken the jam even more over a low simmer.
After the onion jam has begun to set, season the mixture if necessary. Finally, stir in one tablespoon of butter and remove the pan from the heat. It will continue to thicken as it cools.
Hint: Using a wider pan will allow the Apple Cider Onion Jam to cook more quickly by providing more surface area. Additionally, you can make the jam ahead of time so that you can enjoy it on everything. It will keep in the fridge for about 4-5 days.
While waiting for the Apple Cider Onion Jam, crisp up the prosciutto in a 400 degree Fahrenheit oven. I season my prosciutto with a small amount of olive oil, freshly cracked black pepper, and fresh tender herbs. This time I'm using fresh thyme to mimic the other flavors.
To make the Apple Onion Jam Grilled Cheese Sandwiches, mix butter, garlic, and fresh thyme in a small bowl. Spread the flavored butter onto both sides of the bread slices, then fry in a large pan until each side is lightly golden.
Now, only cook the bread until it starts to form a light crust. Any more, and you may burn the bread later on. Remove the slices from the skillet to assemble the sandwiches.
When assembling the Apple Grilled Cheese Sandwiches, the lightest golden brown side should be on the outside. After you've situated your toasty bread slices, gather your ingredients and evenly spread the Apple Cider Onion Jam, cheeses, apple slices, and prosciutto between the sandwiches.
Next, before you finish assembling the Apple Grilled Cheese, drop a bit of honey in the center of the sandwich. However, be sure not to let the honey spillover, or you risk burning the bread.
Finally, cook each side of the sandwich in a large pan over medium heat. If the pan is too dry, add another tablespoon of butter as the bread toasts. Remove when the sandwiches are golden and crusty.
Substitutions
- Cheese - You can replace the gouda with cheddar cheese.
- Bread - use gluten-free buns instead of white bread buns to make this gluten-free.
- Marsala wine- While the Marsala wine gives the onion jam a french onion soup flavor, you can use any dry white wine or extra apple cider if you prefer.
Variations for the apple onion jam grilled cheese
- Caramelized onions - Alternatively, you can use caramelized onions instead of onion jam.
However, I highly recommend making the onion jam. It keeps for several days, and it's a great addition to burgers.
Equipment
My favorite pan for almost everything is this All-Clad: All-in-One pan. It's perfect for almost every application except soup making.
Storage
The Apple Cider Onion Jam in this recipe will keep for up to 5 days.
Top tip to make this apple grilled cheese
Turn the heat to low, then put a lid on the skillet. This will trap the heat, making the cheese will melt faster.
*recipe card is located at the very bottom of this post*
Craving more?
Check out these similar recipes.
Gourmet brie and apple grilled cheese with apple cider onion jam
Thinly sliced apple, creamy brie, and gouda topped with apple cider onion jam, and crispy prosciutto, then drizzled with sweet honey. This Apple Grilled Cheese screams fall.
Ingredients
Apple cider onion jam
- 3 tablespoon salted butter
- 4 cups sweet yellow onions, thinly sliced
- 3 shallots, thinly sliced
- 3 cloves garlic, grated
- 1 teaspoon celery salt
- 1 cup apple cider
- ¼ cup dry Marsala wine
- 2 ½ tablespoons brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- Cinnamon stick and fresh thyme sprigs, optional
- salt and pepper, to taste.
Crispy prosciutto
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 tablespoons fresh thyme
- Freshly cracked black pepper
Apple and brie grilled cheese
- 3 tablespoons of salted butter, plus more for pan-frying if needed.
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme
- 1 clove garlic, grated
- 8 slices sourdough bread
- 1 ½ cups shredded gouda cheese
- Brie cheese, sliced
- 1 Honeycrisp apple, thinly sliced
- 4 slices crispy prosciutto
- Apple cider onion jam
- Local raw honey
Instructions
apple cider onion jam
- Melt two tablespoons of butter over medium heat in a large saucepan, then add onions, shallots, garlic, and celery salt. Sweat the vegetables until soft, translucent, and golden, about 20-30 minutes.
- Deglaze the pan with Marsala wine and let it continue cooking for a few minutes.
- Meanwhile, tie the cinnamon and thyme sprigs with butcher twine and throw them into the pot. Next, add the apple cider.
- Allow the liquid to simmer until it reduces by half, about 15 minutes.
- When the cider has concentrated, remove the spice bundle and sprinkle the brown sugar over the onion mixture. Toss to combine, letting the sugar melt as the liquid continues to simmer, another 5-6 minutes.
- Finally, pour in the apple cider vinegar and simmer over low heat, for about five minutes or until the jam sets. After, stir in one tablespoon of butter. At this point, season with salt and pepper, if needed.
- Remove from heat; the Apple Cider Onion Jam will continue to thicken as it cools.
crispy prosciutto
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Then, toss prosciutto with olive oil, fresh thyme, and black pepper.
- Place the seasoned prosciutto on a baking sheet and cook in the oven for about 10 minutes or until the edges are crispy.
Apple Grilled Cheese
- Start by warming a large skillet over medium heat; mix butter, garlic, and fresh thyme in a small bowl. Then, butter both sides of each slice of sourdough.
- Next, toast both sides of the bread until lightly golden. Remove from pan and carefully assemble your sandwiches.
- Now, evenly spread Apple Cider Onion Jam, cheeses, apple slices, prosciutto, and a drizzle of honey in the center, between two toasted bread slices. Be careful not to spill honey over the edges, or you'll end up with burnt bread.
- Finally, carefully fry both sides of each sandwich until golden and crusty. If the pan is too dry, toss an additional tablespoon of butter into the pan.
Notes
Apple cider onion jam
Using a wider pan will allow the Apple Cider Onion Jam to cook more quickly by providing more surface area. Additionally, you can make the jam ahead of time so that you can enjoy it on everything. It will keep in the fridge for about 4-5 days.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 4 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 1042Total Fat: 40gSaturated Fat: 21gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 15gCholesterol: 119mgSodium: 2541mgCarbohydrates: 136gFiber: 9gSugar: 52gProtein: 38g
Nutrition facts are for personal reference only as calories may vary on a case by case basis.
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