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This apple custard pie recipe is loaded with fresh apples in a creamy vanilla custard, making it a cross between pie and crème brûlée.
When it comes to the fall, the first ingredient that comes to mine for me are apples - from apple cider chicken to baked apple cider donuts to an apple cider cocktail to apple empanadas.
But let's be honest, most people think of apple pie. However this isn't your Grandma's pie. Yes it has a homemade crust that is flaky but melts in your mouth. Yes it has apples and cinnamon. But it also has a delicious vanilla custard!
Because of that it is perfect for people who can't decide what dessert they like better, pie or crème brûlée. Or even couples who have two different favorites, like my wife and me.
So with the holidays upon us shortly, if you are craving a new type of dessert, this apple custard pie recipe should be at the top of the list!
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Ingredient Notes
- Pie crust - homemade pie crust is very simple to make. Just use a food processor to blend together the flour, sugar, salt, butter, egg and vanilla extract. This recipe creates a super buttery and flaky crust that melts in your mouth.
- Apples - you want to use tart apples like Granny Smith.
- Custard - a very simple custard which uses eggs, milk and cream as well as some flavor additions like vanilla extract and and nutmeg.
Ingredient Swaps
- I'm a big fan of homemade pie crust these days, but you can use store-bought if needed.
- While I use Granny Smith apples for pies, Honeycrisps are good substitutes.
- I use a combo of milk and heavy cream but you can use entirely heavy cream or even half-and-half.
Step-by-Step Photos
Pulse together the dry ingredients before pulsing in the butter with 15 pulses. Add the egg yolk, water and vanilla extract and pulse until it starts to clump together.
Form into a ball on a lightly floured surface and place in fridge for at least an hour. Roll out one disk to about ⅛ inch in thickness and press into a pie plate. Cut the edges to about 1 ½ inches overhang and fold over and flute the edges.
Add some parchment paper and pie weights and bake at 400°F for 7-8 minutes before removing and let cool.
While the pie crust is cooling, heat butter in skillet over medium heat and cook the apples, sugar, cinnamon, lemon juice and salt for about 8-10 minutes. Let cool. In a large bowl, whisk together the custard ingredients until combined.
Add the apples to the pie before pouring the custard over top. Bake the pie for 35-40 minutes, or until the custard is set and the crust is golden brown.
FAQs
The biggest difference is in the texture. A pie crust should be flaky, light, tender and crisp. A tart crust is crumbly, rich, crisp and firm.
A pie can be just a bottom crust only, a top crust only or a top and bottom crust, while a tart is always a bottom crust. Pies are also always served in the dish they are baked in, while tarts are removed from the pan before being served.
You do this by blind baking the crust for about 10 minutes before adding the apples and custard.
This usually happens if you don't cook it long enough. You also need to let it cool for at least 3 hours before serving.
Granny Smiths are best for apple pies as they hold their shape and give the filling a great sweet-tart flavor. However if you like your pie sweeter, you can go apples like Galas, Pink Ladies or Honeycrisps.
You bake this pie a long time to cook the apples and brown the topping so you'll need to eventually cover the pie crust. Use a pie shield or aluminum foil to make sure the crust doesn't get too dark. I usually cover about ¾ of the way through.
Yes. You can make the crust ahead of time or you can assemble the pie and freeze before baking. You will just need to bake for an extra 15 minutes.
You can also bake and then just place in the fridge for 2-3 days before serving.
Ways to Decorate Pie
There are many ways to decorate this pie. I personally liked to highlight the apples so left it exposed, but some options include:
- Lattice - the most common top you'll see with a pie.
- Braided - a little more complex than lattice but looks beautiful.
- Stamped shapes - stars are what I used but you can use your favorite shape
- Stamped design - cut out some designs from the
- Crumb topping - a delicious crumb topping is never out of the question.
Serving Suggestions
This apple custard pie is delicious on its own, but can always be improved. Some additions include:
- Additional apples
- Ice cream
- Whipped cream
- Nuts like pecans, walnuts or almonds
- Granola
Pro Tips/Recipe Notes
- Cook the apple filling - by cooking the apples with the added ingredients ahead of time it helps the apples soften slightly so by the time the pie is done they will still have some texture but not be crisp.
- More custard filling - if you want more custard, just cut the apple filling in half and double the amount of custard. You might have some leftover.
- Bake pie on preheated baking sheet - by throwing the baking sheet in the oven when you preheat it, you help brown and cook the bottom crust quicker. It also catches any filling that might flow out.
- Have aluminum foil ready - most crusts will start to burn halfway through before the bottom is cooked and the filling is bubbling. So use aluminum foil to cover the crust and prevent burning.
Other Pie Recipes
If you’ve tried this apple custard pie recipe or any other recipe on Chisel & Fork, please let me know how it turned out in the comments below! You can also follow me on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest and YouTube to see more tasty meals and anything else I'm up to.
Apple Custard Pie
Ingredients
Pie Crust
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoon granulated sugar
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 ¼ sticks unsalted butter, cut into cubes (10 tbsp)
- 1 egg yolk
- 2 tablespoon ice cold water
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Filling
- 2 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 2 lbs Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, cut in half inch slices
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoon lemon juice
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- 1 pie crust
Custard
- 2 large eggs
- ¾ cup whole milk
- ½ cup heavy cream
- ¼ cup + 2 tablespoon granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- ⅛ teaspoon nutmeg
Instructions
- Using a food processor, pulse together the flour, sugar and salt until combined. Add butter and pulse until mixture becomes coarse meal, about 15 pulses.
- In a small bowl, combine egg yolk, water and vanilla extract. Add the egg mixture to food processor and pulse until it starts to clump together. DO NOT pulse until ball is formed. It should be crumbly with large clumps of dough.
- Turn dough only a lightly floured surface and form into a ball. Cut in half and flatten each ball slightly to form a disk. Wrap each in plastic wrap and put in fridge for at least 1 hour or up to 3 days.
- Preheat oven to 400°F. Once ready, remove dough from the fridge about 10 minutes before you begin rolling. On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough so that it is about 3 inches longer than you pie dish and is between ⅛ inch and ¼ inch in thickness.
- Press the dough into the bottom and along the sides of the pie plate, being careful not to puncture the dough. Use kitchen scissors to trim the dough overhang to about 1 ½ inches. Fold over and flute the edges. Add parchment paper and some pie weights to the pie.
- Blind bake pie crust for 7-8 minutes. Let cool for 10 minutes.
- Melt butter in sauté pan over medium heat. Add apples, sugar, cinnamon, lemon juice and salt. Cook until apples are soft, about 8-10 minutes. Spread the apples over the bottom of the pie crust.
- In large bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, cream, sugar, vanilla extract, salt and nutmeg. Pour over the apples.
- Bake at 400°F for 35-45 minutes or until the custard is set. Cool on a wire rack and then store in the fridge.
Notes
- Cook the apple filling - by cooking the apples with the added ingredients ahead of time it helps the apples soften slightly so by the time the pie is done they will still have some texture but not be crisp.
- More custard filling - if you want more custard, just cut the apple filling in half and double the amount of custard. You might have some leftover.
- Bake pie on preheated baking sheet - by throwing the baking sheet in the oven when you preheat it, you help brown and cook the bottom crust quicker. It also catches any filling that might flow out.
- Have aluminum foil ready - most crusts will start to burn halfway through before the bottom is cooked and the filling is bubbling. So use aluminum foil to cover the crust and prevent burning.
Bethany says
Are we supposed to bake the pie at 400 degrees? The instructions say to blind bake the crust at 400 but doesn’t specify the temp for the pie.
Ryan says
Yes. I'll update to make sure that is more clear. Thanks!
Elisheba says
My apple custard pie just went into the oven! I did not cut the slices at 1/2 inch as the recipe says but et 1/8… we’ll see… I very much appreciated the tips for success. I spent a couple of hours researching for recipes and yours seemed the yummiest and more creative. There are great apple pies at grocery stores, but this one is unique!
Next I will check out your empanadas!
Ryan says
Hope it turns out great!
Cory says
Do I put the juice from the apple mixture in, or just the cooked apples themselves?
Ryan says
Apples with the juice.
Kendra says
The custard won't curdle at this high a temp?
Ryan says
I haven't had issues when making it.
Ryan says
If you are worried about that, then bake at 325 for 55-60 minutes.