Some folks enjoy a slice of cheddar with their apple pie. We take that Yankee and Midwest custom to the next level by baking cheese right into the crust and drizzling slices with salted caramel to amplify the umami richness. Use a 9-inch deep-dish pie plate for this recipe.
Refrigerate extra caramel sauce in a heatproof jar with a lid until ready to use again. To reheat, remove lid from jar and place jar in a saucepan of simmering water. Once warmed, caramel will spoon out easily. To make a slightly thinner sauce—to pour over ice cream or swirl into plain yogurt—bring caramel to room temperature and add to ½ cup heavy cream simmered in a small saucepan, stirring to incorporate.