WEEKEND ENTERTAINING

APPLE PANINI


Tart, sweet, crunchy, and soft, these paninis possess a wonderful combination of flavors and textures. Making them will require a little more time than usual, but the results are lipsmacking good and worth the extra effort.


Serves 6 Prep Time 25 minutes Cooking Time 30 miutes (excluding dulce de leche preparation)


For the dulce de leche

• 1 (14- ounce) can sweetened condensed milk

For the cooked apple filling

• 4 green apples, each cut into 8 pieces
• 3/4 cup butter
• 1 3/4 cups sugar
• 3 vanilla beans, split and scraped
• 1 1/2 tbsp ground cinnamon

For the walnut streusel

• 1/2 cup walnuts, chopped
• 2/3 cup all purpose flour
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 tbsp sugar
• 1/8 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp cinnamon
• 6 tbsp butter, softened

• 1/4 cup dulce de leche
• 12 slices brioche
• 1/4 cup walnut streusel
• 1/2 cup butter, softened, for spreadig
• ground cinnamon for springkling
• caramel sauce and vanilla ice cream, to serve

1. Make the dulce de leche: Place the unopened can of condense milk in a small saucepan. Fill the pan with cold water until the can is fully submerged. Place the pot over low heat, bring water to a simmer, and cook for 3 1/2 hours. Remove from heat and allow the can to cool at room temperature before opening it.
2. Cook the apple filling: Saute apples with butter, sugar, and vanilla beans. Cook for a few minutes until soft, then add ground cinnamon. Remove vanilla beans and cool.
3. Make the walnut streusel: Combine all ingredients together and spread evenly on a rimmed baking sheet. Refrigerate for 10 minutes. Bake in a preheated 350 F oven for 8 minutes, then use a fork to break it into small bits and pieces. Cool.
4. To assemble the panini, spread dulce de leche thinly on the brioche slices. Place 5 slices each of cooked apple filling on 6 brioche slices. Drizzle a little dulce de leche on top, then sprinkle streusel all over. Cover with the remaining 6 brioche slices. Spread butter and sprinkle ground cinnamon evenly on both sides.
5. Place each sandwich in a preheated panini press and cook until caramelized. serve the paninis with caramel sauce and vanilla ice cream. YUM!