Grilled cheese sandwich with apple and bacon

Ingredients

• 3Jazz apples
• 50 mlfreshly pressed apple juice
• 1 good pinchcardamom
• 1 tsp (5 ml)butter
• to tastesalt
• 8 slicesbacon
• to tastemaple syrup
• 8 slicesround white bread
• 8 slicescandied bacon
• 240 ggood-melting cheese, coarsely grated
• 2Jazz apples, quartered and thinly sliced
• to tasteapple purée
• a few leavesthyme
• to tastebutter, for spreading on the sandwiches
• 150 gsoft butter
• 30 gpecan nuts, roughly crushed
• 1 tsp (5 ml)maple syrup
• to tastesalt
• 150 gsoft butter
• leaves from 2 sprigsthyme
• zest of ½unwaxed lemon
• a pinchnutmeg
• to tastesalt

Instructions

1. 1

   Cook the apples

   Core the 3 apples and cut them into rough chunks, peeling them if needed. Put them in a small pan with 1 tsp butter and a good pinch of cardamom, and cook over a medium heat for 2 minutes.

2. 2

   Simmer the apples

   Pour in 50 ml apple juice, cover and simmer over a low heat for about 10 minutes. Remove the lid and cook for a further 5 minutes.

3. 3

   Make the purée

   Take the apples off the heat and blend them with a stick blender until smooth. Season with salt and leave the purée to cool.

4. 4

   Candy the bacon

   Heat the oven to 180°C, conventional top and bottom heat. Lay the bacon slices on a baking tray and brush them thinly with maple syrup. Bake for about 20 minutes, until glossy and crisp.

5. 5

   Build the sandwiches

   Spread apple purée over 4 slices of bread and divide the grated cheese between them. Top each with 2 slices of candied bacon, then add thin slices of apple and a few thyme leaves.

6. 6

   Grill the sandwiches

   Place the remaining bread slices on top. Spread a little butter—pecan butter or lemon-thyme butter—over the outside of each sandwich. Grill or fry in a grill pan or frying pan until golden.

7. 7

   Finish and serve

   If you like, drizzle a little maple syrup over the sandwiches just before serving.

8. 8

   Make pecan butter

   Whip the 150 g soft butter in a food processor. Stir in the crushed pecans and 1 tsp maple syrup, then season with salt.

9. 9

   Make thyme butter

   Whip the 150 g soft butter in a food processor. Mix in the thyme leaves and lemon zest, then season with freshly grated nutmeg and salt.

What is a grilled cheese sandwich with apple and bacon?

Grilled cheese is a simple toasted sandwich built around bread and melting cheese; versions vary widely, and this one gives it a sweet-savoury twist. Apple, bacon and maple syrup bring familiar North American-style flavour pairings to a recipe presented with a German cuisine label.

Apple purée adds a soft, gently spiced layer, while fresh apple gives the filling a brighter bite. The crisp bacon and melted cheese make the contrast work.

Nutrition and macros by portion

The nutrition label shows one serving as written: 850 calories, 30g protein, 78g carbs, 47g fat.

The white bread and apples provide most of the carbohydrates, while cheese, bacon and the flavoured butters contribute much of the fat; the cheese and bacon also supply most of the protein. Balance the plate with a crisp green salad or another portion of vegetables.

The apple purée

Cook the apples gently with butter, cardamom and apple juice so they soften without scorching. The covered simmer helps them cook through; the final uncovered minutes reduce excess liquid.

Blend the apples once they are tender, then season and cool the purée before assembling. A thick, cool spread is easier to keep inside the bread than a hot, loose one.

Getting the bacon crisp

Brush the bacon with a thin coating of maple syrup before baking. Too much syrup can make the slices sticky rather than crisp, so keep the layer light.

The recipe gives about 20 minutes at 180°C, but the slices can vary in thickness. Look for a glossy surface and crisp edges, and keep an eye on them towards the end.

Choosing the cheese and bread

Use a cheese that melts readily, and grate it coarsely so it spreads through the filling as it warms. The amount in the recipe gives each sandwich a generous layer.

Round white bread makes evenly sized sandwiches, but the important point is that the slices are sturdy enough to hold the filling. Spread the purée in a thin layer to avoid making the bread soggy.

Grilling to a golden finish

Spread butter on the outside of the assembled sandwiches, then cook them in a pan, grill pan or on a grill. Keep the heat moderate so the bread browns while the cheese has time to melt.

Turn the sandwiches carefully and check the underside before it gets too dark. They are ready when both sides are golden and the cheese is soft and melted inside.

Two butters to choose from

Pecan butter adds a nutty note, with crushed pecans and maple syrup folded into whipped butter. Lemon-thyme butter is fresher and more aromatic, with citrus zest, herbs and a little nutmeg.

Either butter can be used on the outside of the bread as directed. Keep the layer fairly thin so the sandwich browns rather than feeling greasy.

Serving ideas

Serve the sandwiches hot, while the cheese is still soft and the bacon crisp. A simple green salad or lightly dressed vegetables make a fresh counterpoint to the rich filling.

The recipe also suggests a final drizzle of maple syrup. Add it sparingly at the table so it complements the bacon without overwhelming the apple and cheese.

Recipe notes & tips

• Cool the apple purée before spreading it on the bread.
• Brush the bacon with only a thin layer of maple syrup so it can crisp.
• Grate the cheese coarsely for an even, well-melting filling.
• Keep the pan at a moderate heat to brown the bread without rushing the cheese.
• Use a thin layer of butter on the outside of each sandwich.
• Add the optional maple syrup drizzle just before serving.

Variations

• Try a sharper cheese: choose a well-melting cheese with a more pronounced flavour.
• Use pear: swap the fresh apple slices for thinly sliced pear.
• Add mustard: spread a little mustard inside for a sharper contrast.
• Choose one butter: use either the pecan butter or the lemon-thyme butter rather than making both.
• Make it vegetarian: leave out the bacon and add extra apple slices.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Wet apple purée: cook it uncovered for the final 5 minutes and let it cool before spreading.
• Over-syruped bacon: brush on a thin coating so the bacon can turn crisp instead of sticky.
• Burnt bread: lower the heat and give the cheese time to melt gradually.
• Filling spilling out: keep the purée and cheese away from the edges of the bread.
• Greasy sandwiches: use only a light coating of butter on the outside.

How to store

Store leftover apple purée and flavoured butters separately in covered containers in the fridge; use within 3 days. The assembled sandwiches are best eaten fresh, but can be refrigerated for up to 1 day and reheated in a pan over a low heat until warmed through and crisp.

Frequently asked questions