APPLE PIE PANINI

INGREDIENTS:

1/2 cup mascarpone cheese
2 teaspoons honey
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) butter, at room temperature
8 slices cinnamon raisin bread, sliced from a dense a bakery loaf
1 Granny Smith or other firm apple, cored and thinly sliced
2 Tablespoons light brown sugar
Vanilla bean ice cream (optional)

Equipment: panini press

DIRECTIONS:

Either in a small bowl with a whisk or in a mini food processor, whip the mascarpone and honey together until it’s well combined and fluffy.

Heat the panini press to medium-high heat.

For each sandwich: Spread butter on two slices of bread to flavor the outside of the sandwich. Flip over both slices of bread and spread 1 tablespoon sweetened mascarpone on each. Top one slice of bread with a layer of apples and close the sandwich with the other slice, buttered side up. Sprinkle some brown sugar on top.

Grill two panini at a time, with the lid closed, until the fillings are warmed and the bread is toasted, with a sweet crust, 3 to 5 minutes. Top each sandwich with a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream (optional) and serve.