When you can’t decide between an apple pie and a custard pie, you can combine the two and have the best of both worlds.

Growing up my mother’s stepmother would speak fondly of this Apple Custard Pie. She would talk about her mother making it and how it was her absolute favorite pie. Then when I got married she gave me a copy of her mother’s cherished pie. However, there was one hurdle that I needed to conquer before making this pie for myself. Yes, the classic problem with ancient family recipes, there’s minimal instructions. The cherry on top of this hurdle is my step-grandmother has passed away so I can’t even ask her to fill in the holes, unless I hold a séance, believe me I thought about it but that would be a little desperate to say the very least. So through much trial and error I’ve concocted a delicious and blog worthy pie. I’m not entirely sure if it’s exactly the same but it’s pretty darn close. But that’s the beauty of having family recipes, adding to it as the years go on and improving it as we carry it along. 

Apple Custard Pie

*Makes one 9” pie

Shortbread crust

1 ½ cup all-purpose flour

1 tsp kosher salt

½ cup unsalted cold butter

Pie Filling

3 cups McIntosh apples, peeled and sliced

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1 TBSP light brown sugar

1 ½ cup heavy cream

1 large egg

½ cup granulated sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

To make the shortbread crust, combine the flour and salt to a large bowl. Rub the cold butter into the flour and salt until the flour becomes crumbly but can hold together when squeezed. Place the crumbly flour mixture in the pie plate and press into the bottom as well as the sides. 

Arrange the sliced apples over the crust, fanning them out as you place them. Combine the brown sugar with the cinnamon in a small bowl and sprinkle the mixture all over the apples. Bake the apples in the crust for 20 minutes to start cooking the apples. 

While the apples and crust are baking make the custard. In a two cup glass measuring cup, combine the heavy cream, egg, sugar and vanilla. Whisk until the egg is fully incorporated into the heavy cream and the sugar is completely dissolved.

Once your apples are partially baked, pour the custard mixture over the apples. Bake the pie for another 25-30 minutes or until the custard is jiggly and no longer liquid. You can test the custard by inserting a toothpick in the center of the pie and if the toothpick comes out clean it’s done. 

Cool the pie on a wire rack until room temperature, then place in the fridge to chill for about an hour before serving. 

Serve your apple custard pie with plenty of whipped cream and even an extra sprinkle of cinnamon if desired. 

*Notes:

If you’re not comfortable making the shortbread crust, you can easily use store bought pastry dough or a pie shell. Making pastry really isn’t my strong suit either so I wouldn’t blame you. 

During testing, McIntosh apples tested the best in this specific pie. The cook down just right in the custard and the apples aren’t too firm after baking. Now, if you want a firmer apple in your pie you can use Mutsu apples as well as Granny Smiths. 

When slicing the apples, it’s important to slice them thinly. A thicker apple slice will not cook down properly in the pie and will be a little firmer than you’d want it to be in the custard.

Before filling the pie with the custard mixture, place the pie on a baking sheet. The baking sheet will give you the stability to place the pie back into the oven without spilling your custard. Also if the custard bubbles over during baking, the baking sheet will catch any liquid and it won’t burn to the bottom of your oven.