Apple And Egg Custard Pie Recipe

apple egg pie slice
apple egg pie slice - Deniz Vergara/Daily Meal

There are plenty of sweet treats to make with apples, but chances are you tend to stick with your tried and true favorites. While we love remaking winning dishes, it's equally fun to explore new ideas. Daily Meal recipe developer Deniz Vergara shares this apple and egg custard pie that tastes both familiar and novel. She's also pleased about adding a variation to her usual baking repertoire and remarks, "It is a nice way to switch up the typical custard pie or apple pie!"

A rich custard is a decidedly unctuous filling to complement the fruit, and it leaves every bite feeling silky smooth in your mouth. "I love how this dish incorporates an ultra-creamy custard with fall-spiced apples," Vergara shares. This is a great dessert to serve guests at your next dinner party. Just be sure to set aside enough time to allow the pie to cool and fully set before serving.

Read more: 12 Vegetables And Fruits That Used To Look Very Different

Gather The Ingredients For This Apple And Egg Custard Pie

apple egg custard pie ingredients
apple egg custard pie ingredients - Deniz Vergara/Daily Meal

For this recipe, get a premade unbaked pie crust, large eggs, sugar, sea salt, vanilla extract, heavy cream, whole milk, freshly ground nutmeg, and cinnamon. As for the fruit filling, you'll need unsalted butter, apples (peeled, cored, and thinly sliced), sugar, cinnamon, and freshly ground nutmeg.

Vergara notes, "Honeycrisp are my favorite apples to use, but you can use any variety that is crispy and a combination of sweet and sour," and lists, "Braeburn, Gala, Jonagold."

Step 1: Preheat

oven temperature display setting
oven temperature display setting - Deniz Vergara/Daily Meal

Preheat the oven to 375 F and place the rack in the middle of the oven.

Step 2: Prep Dough

pie crust in dish
pie crust in dish - Deniz Vergara/Daily Meal

Unroll the pre-made pie dough and place it in a pie dish.

Step 3: Add Weights

bean weights in pie crust
bean weights in pie crust - Deniz Vergara/Daily Meal

Line the pie dough with a piece of foil and then add pie weights (you can also use or dry rice or beans), making sure to push pie weights to the edges.

Step 4: Bake Crust

golden pie crust in oven
golden pie crust in oven - Deniz Vergara/Daily Meal

Bake for 15 minutes, then remove the parchment and pie weights and bake for an additional 5 minutes, or until the bottom of the pie crust looks dry (this is so the custard filling doesn't seep through.) Allow to cool completely.

Step 5: Make Filling

apples cooking in pan
apples cooking in pan - Deniz Vergara/Daily Meal

While the pie crust is baking, make the apple filling. Melt butter in a sauté pan over medium heat. Add the apples sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg and sauté until the apples are soft and bendable but not mushy, about 5 minutes. Set aside.

Step 6: Decrease Oven

oven temperature display setting
oven temperature display setting - Deniz Vergara/Daily Meal

Lower the oven temperature to 325 F.

Step 7: Whisk Eggs

whisking eggs in bowl
whisking eggs in bowl - Deniz Vergara/Daily Meal

In a medium bowl, whisk together the sugar, salt and eggs, being sure not to overmix and create air bubbles.

Step 8: Combine Final Custard Ingredients

whisking custard ingredients in bowl
whisking custard ingredients in bowl - Deniz Vergara/Daily Meal

Add in the milk, cream, and vanilla, and whisk just until combined.

Step 9: Strain

straining egg from custard
straining egg from custard - Deniz Vergara/Daily Meal

Strain the mixture twice through a fine-mesh strainer, removing any coagulated bits of egg.

Step 10: Add Apples To Pie

apples arranged in pie crust
apples arranged in pie crust - Deniz Vergara/Daily Meal

Arrange the apples over the bottom of the fully cooled, pre-baked crust.

Step 11: Add Custard

custard and apples in crust
custard and apples in crust - Deniz Vergara/Daily Meal

Carefully pour the filling into the baked pie shell. Grate ½ teaspoon nutmeg over the top of the pie and sprinkle with ¼ teaspoon cinnamon.

Step 12: Bake

apple custard pie baking
apple custard pie baking - Deniz Vergara/Daily Meal

Bake on the middle rack for 40-45 minutes, or until the custard has set nearly all the way through. The center will still be jiggly, like jello. The pie should have a temperature of 180 F.

Step 13: Cool And Serve

custard pie cooling on rack
custard pie cooling on rack - Deniz Vergara/Daily Meal

Remove the pie from the oven, and place it on a rack to cool. When it's completely cool (about 2 hours), refrigerate until you're ready to serve.

What Is The Best Way To Serve And Store This Apple And Egg Custard Pie

apple egg pie on table
apple egg pie on table - Deniz Vergara/Daily Meal

If you're used to reheating an apple pie shortly before serving it, you'll be glad to know that's one step you can skip with this apple and egg custard pie recipe. "I serve this for dessert cold," Vergara explains, adding, "I know it may sound odd, but custards are served cold." If you're looking for a final touch to garnish each slice, Vergara has a delicious suggestion: "I like to drizzle them with caramel to finish it off!"

Once you've served everyone and satisfied your sweet tooth, you'll want to put anything extra away until you're ready to have more. Due to the nature of the custard, Vergara instructs to "store leftovers wrapped tightly in the fridge for up to 3 days." You can take the pie out shortly before serving the rest, but remember that it tastes best chilled.

What Tips Should You Follow For A Successful Apple And Egg Custard Pie?

apple egg pie on table
apple egg pie on table - Deniz Vergara/Daily Meal

If you've never made custard before, it might sound a bit intimidating. Thankfully, Vergara has some advice to make anyone feel prepared. "My tips for first-time custard makers is to take your time and be sure to use a thermometer! It's the only way to know exactly when the custard is ready," she emphasizes. If you regularly cook and bake, it's a small investment that can make the difference between success and failure (or at least an imperfect result).

Regarding the temperature, Vergara warns, "It is important to not overcook this or you will have a scrambled egg texture. Remove from the oven when the temperature reads about 170-175 F because it will continue to cook from the residual heat." In case you're winging it without a trusty thermometer, she describes the optimal consistency, too. "The pie will still be jiggly -- like jello in the center," she notes, adding, "but not liquidy."

Apple And Egg Custard Pie Recipe

apple egg pie on table
apple egg pie on table - Deniz Vergara/Daily Meal

Prep Time: 15mCook Time: 1h 10mYield: 8 ServingsIngredients

  • :::For the Custard:::

  • 1 (9-inch) pre-made unbaked pie crust

  • 4 large eggs, at room temperature

  • ¾ cup sugar

  • ¼ teaspoon sea salt

  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

  • 1 cup heavy cream

  • 1 ½ cups whole milk

  • ½ teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg

  • ¼ teaspoon cinnamon

  • :::For the Apple Filling:::

  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter

  • 1 ¼ pounds honey crisp apples, peeled, cored, and thinly sliced (2-3 large apples)

  • 2 tablespoons sugar

  • ½ teaspoon cinnamon

  • ¼ teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg

Directions

  1. Preheat the oven to 375 F and place the rack in the middle of the oven.

  2. Unroll the pre-made pie dough and place it in a pie dish.

  3. Line the pie dough with a piece of foil and then add pie weights (you can also use or dry rice or beans), making sure to push pie weights to the edges.

  4. Bake for 15 minutes, then remove the parchment and pie weights and bake for an additional 5 minutes, or until the bottom of the pie crust looks dry (this is so the custard filling doesn't seep through.) Allow to cool completely.

  5. While the pie crust is baking, make the apple filling. Melt butter in a sauté pan over medium heat. Add the apples sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg, and sauté until the apples are soft and bendable but not mushy, about 5 minutes. Set aside.

  6. Lower the oven temperature to 325 F.

  7. In a medium bowl, whisk together the sugar, salt and eggs, being sure not to overmix and create air bubbles.

  8. Aadd in the milk, cream, and vanilla, and whisk just until combined.

  9. Strain the mixture twice through a fine-mesh strainer, removing any coagulated bits of egg.

  10. Arrange the apples over the bottom of the fully cooled, pre-baked crust.

  11. Carefully pour the filling into the baked pie shell. Grate ½ teaspoon nutmeg over the top of the pie and sprinkle with ¼ teaspoon cinnamon.

  12. Bake on the middle rack for 40-45 minutes, or until the custard has set nearly all the way through. The center will still be jiggly, like jello. The pie should have a temperature of 180 F.

  13. Remove the pie from the oven, and place it on a rack to cool. When it's completely cool (about 2 hours), refrigerate until you're ready to serve.

Read the original article on Daily Meal.