Caramelized Onion Apple Brie Pizza

Caramelized Onion Apple Brie Pizza

Delicious pizza! Who doesn't like it? Really, only few would ever say no to pizza. 

This particular recipe is simply amazing! It's sweet, salty and creamy, all at the same time.  The caramelized onions offers a luscious sweetness that is well balanced by the saltiness of the ham and tartness of the apples. The melted creamy cheeses offer the perfect stage for all these tasty bold flavors to dance. 

Preparation time: 2hrs

Yield: 1 large pizza

Ingredients

• 300g All-purpose flour
• 175ml Lukewarm water
• 1 tsp Dry yeast
• 1 tsp Salt
• 1/2 tsp Sugar
• 1 tbsp Olive oil
• 1 Apple - seeds removed
• 1 tbsp Lemon juice
• 2 Medium onions - sliced (about 300g)
• 2 Tbsp butter
• 125g Brie cheese
• 2 tbsp Cream cheese
• 2 tbsp Heavy cream
• 1 tsp Dried thyme
• 1/4 tsp Garlic powder
• 1 tbsp Shaved almonds
• 50g Serrano Ham
• 8 Leaves of fresh basil
• Salt and Pepper to taste (to season toppings)
• Additional olive oil 

Start by dissolving the dry yeast in the lukewarm water, then add sugar, 1 tsp of salt, olive oil and finally the flour. Incorporate all ingredients together and knead the dough for about 10 minutes. Place the dough on a greased bowl, cover and let it ferment for 1 hr. 

In the meantime, warm butter in a pan to medium low. Add the sliced onions, stir them, cover the pan and let them cook for about 30 minutes. When the onion slices have completely softened and developed sort of a creamy consistence, uncover the pan and let them cook and caramelize, you might need to turn the temperature to medium. You also want to keep an eye on the pan, so it doesn't burn. Once the onion slices are caramelized, set them aside. 

Cut the brie, Serrano ham and apples in slices. Toss the apple slices with the lemon juice to prevent them from turning brown. Set them aside. 

On a small bow, mix cream cheese, whipping cream, garlic powder, 1/2 tsp dried thyme, salt and pepper. Set it aside (this mixture will be our pizza sauce).

Once pizza dough has doubled in size, it's ready to be worked with. Using your own hands start to spread the dough and form the pizza in the shape of your preference (round or square). The more you spread and the bigger the pizza - thinner the crust. 

Once you reach your desired thickness, spread a bit of olive oil on your pizza canvas, followed by the cream cheese mixture. Then add your toppings, including the shaved almonds and sprinkle with more thyme. Bake at 450 F (232 C) for about 12 to 15 minutes. 

Voilá! You've got a yummy pizza to devour! :)

Caramelized Onion Apple Brie Pizza