Fall is in the air, and it’s apple season. I found a recipe for Apple Custard in a hundred-year-old cookbook, and decided to give it a try. The Apple Pudding is made by putting stewed apples in a casserole dish, adding a lovely custard, and then topping with meringue.
This recipe is different from most modern recipes for apple desserts because it uses no cinnamon or other spices, and it calls for very little sugar (only 4 tablespoons). The result is a tasty, yet delicate dessert.
Here’s the original recipe:
Apples vary a lot in size. Apples often were smaller a hundred years ago then they are today, so I interpreted the 4 apples called for in the recipe as approximately 2 cups of peeled, cored, and quartered apples.
Here’s the recipe updated for modern cooks:
Apple Pudding
4 apples (approximately 2 cups, peeled and quartered apples)
water
1 cup milk
2 eggs, separated
2 tablespoons sugar + 2 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon flour
Peel apples, remove cores, and cut into quarters. Place them in a saucepan and add a little water to prevent scorching until the apples begin to soften. Bring to a boil using medium heat and then reduce heat. Continue to simmer gently until the apples are soft (approximately 10-15 minutes). Remove from heat and set aside.
Put egg yolks, 2 tablespoons sugar, and flour in a small bowl. Stir to combine then set aside.
In the meantime, put the milk in another saucepan. Bring to a boil using medium heat, while stirring frequently.
Place a small amount (approximately 1 – 2 tablespoons) of hot milk into the bowl containing the egg, sugar and flour mixture; then add the mixture to the hot milk. Stir quickly. (The egg is first combined with a little of the hot mixture to prevent it from turning into scrambled eggs when introduced into the milk.) Continue heating using medium heat, while stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens into a custard. Remove from heat.
Preheat oven to 400° F. Put the cooked apples in a casserole dish. (I used a 1-quart dish, which was quite full; an 8-inch square pan would also work.) Pour the custard over the apples.
Place egg whites in a bowl, and beat the egg whites until they form stiff peaks. Gradually add 2 tablespoons sugar while continuing to beat. Then spoon on top of the custard and swirl. Put in oven for 10 minutes or until the meringue is lightly browned.