French Apple Custard Pie
A delicate French-inspired dessert featuring thinly sliced apples arranged in a buttery crust, bathed in vanilla-scented custard. The resulting pie offers a perfect balance of tender fruit, creamy filling, and crisp pastry for an elegant yet comforting treat.
Ingredients
- 1 pre-made pie crust or your favorite homemade crust
- 4-5 medium apples preferably Granny Smith or Honeycrisp, peeled and thinly sliced
- 3 large eggs
- 1 cup heavy cream
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter melted
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- Optional: 1 tablespoon apricot jam for glazing
Instructions
- Prepare your oven and crust: Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Place your pie crust in a 9-inch pie dish, crimping the edges decoratively. Refrigerate while preparing the filling.
- Prepare the apples: Peel, core, and slice the apples into thin, uniform slices (about ⅛ inch thick). Toss them gently with lemon juice to prevent browning.
- Make the custard filling: In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, heavy cream, sugar, flour, vanilla extract, and salt until smooth and well combined. The mixture should be pourable but have some body to it.
- Arrange the apples: Remove the pie crust from the refrigerator. Layer the apple slices in concentric circles in the pie crust, slightly overlapping them for an attractive pattern. For extra flavor, brush the apples lightly with melted butter.
- Pour the custard: Slowly pour the custard mixture over the arranged apples, allowing it to seep between the layers. The custard should come just below the top layer of apples.
- Bake with protection: Place the pie on a baking sheet (to catch any potential overflow) and bake for 20 minutes. Then lower the temperature to 350°F (175°C) and continue baking for about 25-30 minutes more, until the custard is set in the center with just a slight wobble.
- Cool properly: Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely on a wire rack for at least 2 hours before slicing. The custard needs time to fully set.
- Optional finishing touch: For a professional shine, warm the apricot jam slightly and brush it over the top of the cooled pie.
Notes
- For the best texture contrast, slice your apples consistently thin but not paper-thin – about ⅛ inch is perfect.
- This pie can be made a day ahead and refrigerated overnight – just bring to room temperature before serving.
- The custard will continue to set as it cools, so don’t worry if it seems slightly jiggly in the center when you remove it from the oven.
- For extra flavor depth, try adding a tablespoon of brandy or Calvados to the custard mixture.
- Blind baking the crust for 10 minutes before adding fillings can help prevent a soggy bottom, though it’s not strictly necessary.