I first made this pie for Thanksgiving a few years ago when looking for something different to try. I made a few changes to the original recipe, including using a sugar cookie crust instead of a regular pie crust.

This cinnamon apple custard pie soon became a favorite because it was different and it was easy. There are no complicated ingredients, and it can be made crustless so that it can be made without a stoven. The custard and apples are prepared on the stovetop, which makes this a perfect recipe for Swaziland, too.

And finally, the pie does not have to be made in a pie dish, especially because I have yet to find a true glass pie dish in Swaziland. I have been using a quiche dish I bought at Punch Bowl in Manzini for E25. The first time I made the cinnamon apple custard pie in Swaziland I used a glass loaf pan from Shoprite for E25. I also used pears instead of the apples. The pie could just as easily be made in a square cake pan or baking dish, as well.

You will prepare the apples first and cook them in a skillet until they begin to caramelize.

Slice five apples

Cook the apples, cinnamon, sugar, and nutmeg

Cook until the sugar begins to caramelize

Then, you will make the custard, which is made from egg, flour, sugar, and milk.

Heat the milk, sugar, flour, vanilla, and salt until simmering

Pour one-third of the flour mixture into the eggs

Stir until combined then return to pot

Then, you will make the sugar cookie pie crust and bake the crust for 10 minutes.

The ingredients

Mix together until crumbly

Grease your dish and add the crust mixture

Pat the crumbs by hand to cover your pie dish and bake for 10 minutes

Finally, you will layer apples, custard, and more apples in the pie crust.

Add a layer of apples to the pie dish

Add the custard

Top with remaining apple slices

Now for the recipe.

Difficulty: Easy

Cost of ingredients: E25

Time: One hour of active work

Servings: 8+

Tools needed:

• Pairing knife
• Cutting board
• Non-stick skillet
• Spatula
• Measuring cups
• Measuring spoons
• Pot
• Whisk
• Small mixing bowl
• Fork
• Pie dish

Cinnamon apples ingredients:

• Margarine
• 5 apples sliced
• 1/4 c sugar
• Cinnamon to taste
• Nutmeg to taste

Recipe:

Slice apples. Peel if desired. Heat skillet with margarine. Add apples, sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Cook for roughly 40 minutes until the sugar has thickened but has not caramelized. Once the apples are cooking, start the custard.

Custard ingredients:

• 500 ml milk
• 1/2 c sugar
• 1/4 t salt
• 1/2 c flour
• 1 t vanilla
• 1 egg
• 1 egg yolk

Recipe:

Bring milk, sugar, salt, and vanilla to a simmer in the pot. Separately, whisk together the egg and egg yolk. Once the milk is simmering, gradually whisk in the flour. Remove the milk mixture from heat and pour 1/3 of the mixture into the eggs. Whisk together slowly to avoid scrambling the eggs. Return to pot once combined. Cook and whisk continuously for 30 seconds and then remove from heat. Custard will be lumpy. There is no way to avoid this, plus you know when it is lumpy that it is home made. While waiting for milk to simmer, begin crust.

Sugar cookie crust ingredients:

• 1/4 c margarine
• 1/4 c sugar
• 1 egg yolk
• 1 c flour
• 1/4 t salt

Recipe:

Combine margarine, sugar, and egg yolk. Mix in flour and salt. Mixture should be crumbly. Pat mixture into pie dish. Bake at 190 C for 10 minutes, rotating 180 degrees at 5 minutes.

Assembly:

Once the cinnamon apples, custard, and sugar cookie crust are complete, begin assembly. Pour two-thirds of the cinnamon apples over the crust. Then pour custard over apples and allow it to set for one hour, preferably in the refrigerator. Finally, top with the remaining cinnamon apples before serving.

Enjoy!

Recipe is based on Martha Stewart’s apple custard pie.