Warm Apple Buttermilk Custard Pie
This is a fabulous variation on the classic apple and custard pie. This dessert is a must try for even those who don't like traditional custard pies
This is a fabulous variation on the classic apple and custard pie. This dessert is a must try for even those who don't like traditional custard pies
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 eggs
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- cooking spray
- 2 tablespoons all purpose flour
- 1/2 pie crust thawed
- 2/3 cup all purpose flour
- 2/3 cup brown sugar packed
- 5 tablespoons butter chilled and cut into small pieces
- 5 cups granny smilth apples peeled, slice
- 1 cup granulated sugar divided
- 1 3/4 cups buttermilk
- Carbohydrate 46.0176921601263 g
- Cholesterol 72.8025625087257 mg
- Fat 10.1208842024482 g
- Fiber 0.649977597255633 g
- Protein 4.50891876250995 g
- Saturated Fat 5.25715430871323 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (130g)
- Sodium 154.533392754398 mg
- Sugar 45.3677145628707 g
- Trans Fat 0.915928342250888 g
- Calories 330 calories
Step-by-step
- Preheat oven to 325º(F).
- To prepare crust, roll dough into a 14-inch circle; fit into a 9-inch deep dish pie plate coated with cooking spray. Fold edges under; flute. Place pie plate in refrigerator until ready to use.
- To prepare streusel, lightly spoon 1/3 cup flour into a dry measuring cup; level with a knife. Combine 1/3 cup flour, brown sugar, and 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon in a medium bowl; cut in butter with a pastry blender or 2 knives until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Place streusel in refrigerator.
- To prepare the filling, heat a large nonstrick skillet coated with cooking spray over medium heat. Add sliced apple, 1/4 cup granulated sugar, and 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon; cook 10 minutes or until the apple is tender, stirring mixture occasionally. Spoon the apple mixture into prepared crust.
- Combine remaining 3/4 cup granulated sugar, 2 tablespoons flour, salt, and eggs, stirring with a whisk. Stir in buttermilk and vanilla. Pour over apple mixture. Bake at 325º for 30 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 300º(F) (do not remove pie from oven); sprinkle streusel over pie. Bake at 300º(F) for 40 minutes or until set. Let stand 1 hour before serving.
Why is the custard separating into watery pockets instead of setting into a smooth gel? Dairy coagulation requires precise thermal management, and pouring cold liquids into an unchilled shell or over-baking the eggs causes the proteins to tighten and expel their moisture. Chilling the dough-lined 9-inch deep dish pie plate until the fat solidifies prevents shrinkage during the initial 325-degree bake. Cutting chilled butter into the streusel using a pastry blender rather than warm hands keeps the fat in discrete particles, which yields a crumbly, coarse meal texture rather than a greasy paste. Pre-cooking the sliced Granny Smith apples for 10 minutes drives out excess water before they hit the crust, eliminating the stagnant pool of juice that ruins bottom pastry layers. Whisking the remaining granulated sugar, flour, and eggs together before adding the buttermilk ensures the starch hydrates evenly without forming lumps. Lowering the oven temperature to 300 degrees before adding the streusel topping prevents the brown sugar and butter from scorching during the final 40-minute baking window. Letting the pie rest undisturbed for 1 full hour allows the internal custard starches to complete their gelatinization process, transforming a loose liquid into clean, stable slices. Utilizing fresh Granny Smith fruit provides the necessary malic acid structure to balance the dense sweetness of the custard, whereas commercially processed apple pie fillings introduce excess cornstarch thickeners and unwanted liquid sugars that alter the bake time. Monitoring the central visual cue ensures success: the center should jiggle slightly like set gelatin rather than liquid milk when removed from the heat.
