Sunday, October 01, 2006

Streusel-Topped Apple Custard Pie

While in North Carolina, we stopped at SkyTop Orchard. I had seen the signs before, but didn't know just how far up we would have to drive until we did it. I wish the road was better. I decided to purchase mutsu apples for baking, from that very orchard. Mutsu is a mix between Golden Delicious and Granny Smith, so I thought it might hold up nice in a pie.

This recipe is from Almost Home Tearoom in Greencastle, Indiana, where I worked for over a year, making desserts. At first appearance it looks like a typical stresel-topped apple pie, but it also has a sweet custard surrounding the apples. The link to the tearoom also includes information on purchasing their cookbook. I wanted to make something that wasn't "just" an apple pie. The crust is a modified version from the typical shortening recipe - I decided to use half butter for better flavor, and kept the crust coverered with tinfoil until the last 10 minutes of the baking process.

The mutsu apples definitely held their shape while baking - in fact after over an hour of baking time in the oven they were still slightly firm. Almost too firm. I still have more to experiment with. If you have a favorite apple recipe, send me an e-mail! I'd love to hear from you.

(I used this picture because you could see my rolling pin in the background. I think it is so cute!)

Categories: Apple, Custard, Pie

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