Apple crisp with Manchego cheese ice cream

Apple Crisp with Manchego Cheese Ice Cream
Serves 6

Shortcake Biscuits

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 5 tablespoons sugar
• 1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise and scraped, seeds reserved and bean discarded
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• Zest of half an orange
• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into cubes and chilled
• 1/2 to 3/4 cup cold heavy cream
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• 1 teaspoon water
• 1/4 cup coarse sugar

• 1 1/2 pounds crisp apples, such as Fuji or Braeburn
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons Calvados (apple brandy)
• 2 teaspoons cornstarch

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup oats
• 1/4 cup chopped pecans
• 1/4 cup shredded coconut
• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter

• 8 egg yolks
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 2 cups heavy cream
• 3 cups half-and-half
• 1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise
• 1/2 pound Manchego cheese, cut into 1 inch cubes

1. Preheat oven to 350º. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. Set aside.
   
   
2. Combine flour, baking powder, sugar, vanilla bean seeds, salt, and orange zest in a large bowl. Stir to combine.
   
   
3. Add butter, and use fingers to crumble butter into flour mixture until mixture resembles coarse meal.
   
   
4. Pour in 1/2 cup cream, and stir with a fork until a loose dough forms, slowly adding remaining 1/4 cup cream as necessary (dough should be sticky but not wet).
   
   
5. Transfer dough to a floured surface. Knead gently with floured hands until dough comes together, 3 to 5 turns. Pat the dough into a 1/2-inch-thick round, and cut out 6 biscuits with a 3-inch round cutter, re-rolling dough once.
   
   
6. Place biscuits on the prepared baking sheet. Whisk together beaten egg and water in a small bowl; brush each biscuit lightly with egg wash, and sprinkle each with coarse sugar.
   
   
7. Bake until golden brown, about 15 to 20 minutes. Cool on pans for 5 minutes; serve warm.

1. Peel apples and cut into 1/4-inch dice. Set aside.
   
   
2. Melt butter in a large sauté pan over medium heat; add sugar, and stir about 2 minutes or until sugar melts,.
   
   
3. Add diced apples, and cook about 3 minutes or until apples just begin to soften. Combine lemon juice, Calvados, and cornstarch in a small bowl; stir until cornstarch is dissolved.
   
   
4. Add lemon juice mixture to the pan, and cook about 4 minutes, stirring, until juices thicken. Serve warm.

1. Preheat oven to 350º.
   
   
2. Combine flour, sugar, brown sugar, oats, pecans, and coconut in a large bowl; stir until well combined. In a microwave-safe bowl, melt butter. Slowly add melted butter to the bowl, stirring to incorporate.
   
   
3. Pour mixture onto an un-greased cookie sheet, breaking up large clumps with your fingers. Bake 10 to 14 minutes, or until golden brown. Set aside to cool slightly; break up any remaining big pieces to achieve a crumbly consistency.

1. Whisk together egg yolks and sugar in a large bowl until pale and fluffy; set aside.
   
   
2. Combine cream, half-and-half, and vanilla bean in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat; bring to a simmer. Slowly ladle 1 cup hot cream mixture into egg yolks, whisking constantly. Pour egg-cream mixture back into the saucepan, and cook about 4 minutes, stirring constantly, until mixture coats the back of a wooden spoon. Pour mixture into a large bowl.
   
   
3. Add cheese cubes and stir. Cool to room temperature, stirring occasionally. Once cooled, pour custard through a fine-mesh sieve into a large bowl. Discard cheese and vanilla bean. Refrigerate custard until cold, then freeze in an ice-cream maker according to manufacturer's instructions.

1. Place 1 shortcake biscuit on each serving plate.
   
   
2. Spoon apple filling over biscuit, then sprinkle with crumble topping.
   
   
3. Serve with a scoop of Manchego cheese ice cream on the side.