Apple Pudding (Pie)

Red Apple

by Cat, Nov 2013 (photo, right, from Wikimedia Commons)

See also: Marlborough Pudding: Holiday Apple & Custard Pie; Apple Info (About) to help you select the right apple variety for the puree.

Includes 2 versions of this pudding.

While I was researching the recipe for Marlborough Pudding, it occurred to me that I’ve made a similar recipe years ago, shortly after I got my first Vegetarian Epicure cookbook by Anna Thomas in the 1970s.

At that time, I was not familiar with “pudding” that was more like a pie.  Pudding in my childhood home was more like tapioca pudding – creamy and served in a bowl. So I was very curious to give it a try. It reminded me a bit of rhubarb custard pie.

Apple Pudding (Pie)

This recipe is adapted from The Vegetarian Epicure and The Vegetarian Epicure Book 2, both by Anna Thomas. I’ve modified the recipe to use stevia as the sweetener in the custard and topping (but provide the sugar equivalent).

Makes one 10″ pie to serve 6 – 8.

Ingredients:

Apples:

• 4 – 5 tart green apples (like Granny Smith or pippin)
• 3 Tbsp real butter
• 1/8 tsp each grated cinnamon and nutmeg
• 1 tsp freshly grated lemon zest (optional)

Custard:

• 1 cup  (2 sticks) real butter, at room temperature
• 1/2 tsp stevia extract powder plus 1 Tbsp Organic maple Syrup (or 3/4 cup Rapadura sugar)
• 6 fresh local eggs, at room temperature
• 1 cup milk, heated but not boiled
• 1 Tbsp real vanilla extract
• 2 Tbsp cognac or brandy
• dash Unrefined sea salt

Topping:

• 2/3 cup whole grain flour (or 1/3 cup each whole grain and white flour)
• 1/4 tsp stevia extract powder (or 1/4 cup white cane sugar)
• 1/4 cup Rapadura sugar (or 1/2 cup brown sugar if not using stevia)
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp nutmeg
• 1/4 tsp Unrefined sea salt
• 4 Tbsp real butter

Equipment:

• cast iron skillet
• medium saucepan
• large bowl and hand mixer or stand mixer and bowl
• large glass baking dish
• medium bowl

Method:

Apples:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F, and butter the baking dish.
2. Peel and core apples, then slice thickly. Melt butter in skillet and add the apples; sprinkle with the cinnamon, nutmeg and lemon zest, if using. Give them a stir with a wooden spoon, then  and cook about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat.
3. Arrange in buttered baking dish. I like to use overlapping circles or a spiral pattern. Set aside.

Custard:

1. Heat milk in saucepan until it just begins to steam (to about 180F).
2. Cream butter and sweeteners, then beat in the eggs with the hot milk, vanilla, cognac and salt.
3. Pour back into the saucepan and heat lightly over medium low, whisking all the while, until it is perfectly smooth and just beginning to thicken. Remove from heat.
4. Pour over apples in pan.

Assemble and bake:

1. Prepare topping: Place flour in sifter; add sweeteners, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt, and sift into medium bowl. Cut in the butter to a coarse-textured meal.
2. Sprinkle over the custard.
3. Bake in preheated oven about 40 – 45 minutes, until tests done with a knife inserted near the center (it should come out clean).
4. Serve hot or cold, plain or with fresh cream.

Alternate Version, without Crumble Topping

Anna Thomas offered a slightly different version in her The Vegetarian Epicure Book 2. In this alternative version, the custard batter includes flour, rather than adding a crumble topping of flour, sugar and butter on the top.

Ingredients & Method:

Apples:

• 3 large tart green apples (like Granny Smith or pippin)
• 4 Tbsp real butter
• 1/2 tsp stevia liquid extract (or 3 Tbsp sugar)
• 1/2 tsp  grated cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp ground cloves
• 1 tsp freshly grated lemon zest (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 400°F. Butter baking pan.
2. Prepare apples as above, sautéing until just tender. Then arrange in baking pan as above.

Batter:

• 3 fresh local eggs, at room temperature
• 2 Tbsp whole grain flour plus 6 Tbsp white flour (or 1/2 cup white flour or starch equivalent)
• 1 ½ cups fresh milk
• ⅛ tsp stevia extract powder plus 1 Tbsp Organic maple Syrup (or 3 Tbsp Rapadura sugar, or Make Your Own Unrefined Powdered Sugar)
• ½ tsp real vanilla extract
• 2 Tbsp cognac or brandy
• dash nutmeg
  
• pinch Unrefined sea salt

1. Beat together  all ingredients (or blend in a blender), the pour over apples.
2. Bake in preheated oven (400F) 25 – 30 minutes,, until puffed and golden brown on top.
3. Sift Rapadura powdered sugar over the top, if desired. Serve warm

References:

1. The Vegetarian Epicure by Anna Thomas
2. The Vegetarian Epicure Book 2 by Anna Thomas