This recipe for blue cheese & prosciutto pizza with caramelised Pink Lady apples hovers between savoury and sweet. It serves as a perfect appetiser with drinks or a light meal. The apples, caramelised in salted butter with thyme, take on a subtly savoury flavour, while the sharpness of blue cheese and the saltiness of prosciutto create a balanced, delicious taste. A drizzle of hot honey just before serving adds a touch of sweetness that ties everything together.

Blue Cheese & Prosciutto Pizza with Caramelised Apples recipe

The cheese quantities in the recipe serve as a guideline, allowing you to adjust according to your preference. A bit more or less of each can be used. The mozzarella gives the pizza a soft texture and a melty cheese pull. While, the aged Cheddar and blue cheese adds a punchy flavour that perfectly complements the caramelised apples.

Since the dough is made fresh on the same day, it’s important to allocate enough time for it to prove. The proving time will vary based on the room temperature at that moment.

I paired this pizza with the Laborie 2023 Chardonnay. This elegant Chardonnay has lemon zest and pineapple aromas with undertones of green apple. The palate is fresh and delicate with a rich texture and a vibrant, lengthy finish.

A bottle of Laborie Chardonnay 2023 with a pizza recipe

Ingredients to Make Blue Cheese & Prosciutto Pizza with Caramelised Apples

For this recipe, you’ll need a few simple ingredients. The combination of cheeses—mozzarella for its meltiness, aged Cheddar for its punch, and creamy blue cheese for its bold flavour—creates a deliciously complex base for the sweet, caramelised apples. Here’s what you’ll need:

An unbaked Blue Cheese & Prosciutto Pizza with Caramelised Apples recipe

For the Dough:

2 tsp sugar
2 Tbsp olive oil (plus extra for coating)
275 grams bread flour
1 tsp fine salt
1 ¾ tsp instant yeast

For the Caramelised Apples:

2 Pink Lady apples – cored and cut into wedges
2 Tbsp butter
1 Tbsp dark brown sugar
1 tsp fresh thyme leaves
Pinch of sea salt flakes

Pink Lady Apples for a Blue Cheese & Prosciutto Pizza with Caramelised Apples recipe

For the Topping:

100 grams mozzarella, grated
100 grams mature cheddar, grated
125 grams creamy blue cheese (or your blue cheese of choice)
10 – 14 slices of prosciutto
Hot honey (or any honey) to drizzle (optional)
Thyme sprigs for garnish (optional)

Blue cheese for a Blue Cheese & Prosciutto Pizza with Caramelised Apples recipe

How to Make Blue Cheese & Prosciutto Pizza with Caramelised Apples

Making this pizza involves a few key steps, starting with preparing the dough and then moving on to caramelising the apples. Here’s a step-by-step guide:

Prepare the Dough:

Mix the sugar with 175ml of lukewarm water and stir until dissolved. Add the olive oil.

In a stand mixer bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, and yeast. Attach the dough hook and set the mixer to medium speed. Gradually add the water mixture to the flour mixture. Increase the speed and mix until a smooth dough forms.

Transfer the dough to a floured surface and knead for about 7 – 8 minutes until smooth and springy. Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl, coat the surface with oil, cover with cling film, and let rise in a warm place for about 2 hours, or until doubled in size.

Caramelise the Apples:

While the dough is rising, heat a non-stick frying pan over medium heat and melt the butter. Add the apple slices and cook for a minute, then add the brown sugar and thyme. Continue to cook until the apples are golden on both sides but still slightly firm. Add a pinch of sea salt during cooking.

Assemble the Pizza:

Once the dough has risen, divide it into 2 or 4 equal pieces and roll each into a ball. Roll out the dough thinly and place on a board lined with baking paper. Allow it to rest while preheating your oven to 220°C. If using a pizza stone or steel, preheat it in the oven.

Grate the mozzarella and Cheddar. Sprinkle the pizza base generously with the grated cheeses, then add the caramelised apples. Crumble the blue cheese over the top.

Bake the pizza for 8 – 10 minutes, or until the crust is puffy and golden with a crispy base.

Finish and Serve:

Once out of the oven, twirl the prosciutto slices onto the hot pizza. Drizzle with hot honey, if desired, and garnish with thyme sprigs. Serve with a chilled glass of Laborie 2023 Chardonnay.

Substitutions & Variations

This recipe is quite versatile. You can easily swap ingredients to suit your taste or what you have on hand:

Cheese: If you’re not a fan of blue cheese, Camembert or Brie would be great alternatives. You can also adjust the amount of cheese to your liking.

Fruit: Pears or peaches can be used instead of apples. If you are using stone fruit, there is no need to caramelise them before as I did with pizza bianco with prosciutto and nectaries.

Meat: Prosciutto can be substituted with other cured meats like speck or pancetta. For a vegetarian version, omit the prosciutto and add more cheese or a sprinkle of toasted nuts for texture.

Honey: The hot honey drizzle adds a lovely contrast, but you can use regular honey, or even a balsamic glaze for a more tangy flavour.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Can I make the dough ahead of time?

Yes, the dough can be made a day ahead and stored in the refrigerator. Bring it to room temperature before rolling out.

2. What if I don’t have a pizza stone?

A regular baking sturdy sheet will work fine. Just make sure to preheat it in the oven to get a crispy base.

3. Can I use pre-made pizza dough?

Absolutely. Store-bought dough will save time, but homemade dough offers better flavour and texture.

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Chicago deep dish pizza with mushrooms, bacon & Cheddar recipe

Ingredients

Dough:

2 tsp sugar
2 Tbsp olive oil plus extra for coating
275 grams of bread flour
1 tsp fine salt
1 ¾ tsp instant yeast

Caramelised apples:

2 Pink Lady apples – cored and cut into wedges
2 Tbsp butter
1 Tbs dark brown sugar
1 tsp fresh thyme leaves
Pinch of sea salt flakes

Topping:

100 grams Mozzarella grated
100 grams mature cheddar grated
125 grams of creamy blue cheese or blue cheese of choice
10 – 14 slices of prosciutto
Hot honey or any honey to drizzle (optional)
Thyme sprigs for garnish optional

Instructions

Make the dough in advance. It will take 4 – 5 hours depending on the room temperature for proving.
Start by mixing the sugar with 175ml of lukewarm water, and stir to dissolve. Add the olive oil.
Add the flour, salt, and yeast to the bowl of a stand mixer and give it a whisk to combine. Using the dough hook attachment, set it to medium and slowly add the water to the bowl. Speed up and mix until the mixture forms a smooth dough that clears the side of the bowl.
Dust a surface with flour and knead the dough for about 7 – 8 minutes until smooth and springy to the touch. Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl, oil the surface, cover it with cling film, and set aside it in a warm place to rise. Approximately 2 hours depending on the temperature.
While the dough is proving, make the caramelised apples. Heat a non-stick frying pan with the butter and once melted add the sliced apples. Toss to cook for a minute before adding the sugar and thyme. Cook until the apples are golden on each side but still firmish. While the apples are cooking, add a pinch of salt.
Once the dough has doubled in size, tip onto the floured surface divide into 2 or 4 equal pieces and roll these into balls.
Roll the dough out quite thin and set it on a board with baking paper. Allow it to rest while you preheat your oven to 220C. If you have a pizza stone or steel, add it to the oven to preheat. You want to get the stone as hot as possible.
When you are ready to make the pizza, grate the mozzarella and cheddar cheese.
Sprinkle the base of the pizza generously with mozzarella and Cheddar, add the caramelised apples, and crumble the blue cheese. Bake for about 8 – 10 minutes until puffy, and golden and the pizza has a brown crispy base.
Twirl the prosciutto on the pizzas and drizzle with hot honey. Serve with a chilled glass of Laborie 2023 Chardonnay.