Apple Custard Pie

In all honesty, this pie cannot be considered a “healthy” item. However, it is truly the most delicious pie we’ve ever eaten, and given that apples are now ready to be harvested, do yourself a favour and make this pie.

The recipe has been adapted from the Apple Custard Pie recipe in the “Back In The Day Bakery: Made With Love” cookbook by Cheryl Day and Griffith Day. In a nod to health, the modified recipe contains less than half the amount of butter and less sugar than the original.

Pie crust ingredients:

• 1½ cups plain flour
• ¼ cup caster sugar
• ½ tsp salt
• 5 tablespoons butter

Apple ingredients:

• 3 large or 4 medium Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, and thinly sliced
• ¼ cup caster sugar OR ¼ cup lavender sugar
• 4 tablespoons butter
• ½ tsp ground cardamom
• Juice of 1 lemon
• Grated rind of 1 lemon

Custard ingredients:

• 3 large room temperature eggs
• 1 cup milk
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 tablespoons plain flour
• ½ tsp salt.

Method:

1. Cook the apple ingredients. In a large saucepan combine all the apple ingredients. Cook over a medium heat, stirring until the apples are tender, approximately 4 minutes. Set aside to cool to room temperature.

2. Make the pie crust and prebake it. Place all pie crust ingredients in a medium bowl and rub the butter in. Make a disc of the dough and roll out between two sheet of baking paper until it is round enough to fit a nine-inch (23 cm) pie dish. You can crimp the edges or neaten off using a knife. Preheat oven to 170oC fan-forced or 190 oC for a regular oven. Line the pie crust with baking paper and fill with pie weights or dried beans/rice. Bake for 10 minutes or until the edges are lightly brown. Remove from oven and take the baking paper and pie weights away. Now you are ready for the next step.

3. Make the custard ingredients. Place the custard ingredients in a medium bowl and whisk until combined.

4. Pour half the custard into the pie shell, add the apples and all the liquid they were cooked in, pour on the remaining custard.

5. Bake for 25-30 minutes until the filling no longer looks wet, but wobbles slightly (it will continue to set while it cools).

6. Cool for 2 -3 hours before placing in the fridge. Serve the pie chilled, and prepare to be delighted .

• Topics:

• Food
• Recipes