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Thanksgiving Apple Pudding

Thanksgiving Apple Pudding

This Thanksgiving Apple Pudding is a silky baked apple custard with a smooth applesauce-like filling made from cooked green apples, enriched with eggs and heavy cream and baked in a flaky pie crust. Bake until set and sliced like a pumpkin pie; it is ideal for Thanksgiving and can be served cold or at room temperature.
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Prep Time:15 minutes
Cook Time:1 minute
Total Time:1 minute
Course: Desserts
Keyword: apple, pie, pudding, Thanksgiving

Equipment

  • medium saucepan
  • mixing bowl
  • 2 ceramic or glass 9-inch pie dishes
  • whisk
  • pastry brush

Ingredients

  • 6 very large green apples peeled, cored and sliced
  • 1 lemon peel cut into slices
  • 2/3 cup brown sugar
  • 6 large eggs well beaten
  • 1 pint heavy whipping cream
  • 1 teaspoon lemon juice
  • 29 9-inch uncooked pie crusts or 9-inch round puff pastry crusts
  • candied lemon peels for garnish (optional)

Instructions

  1. Place the sliced apples into a medium saucepan with 6 tbsp of water and the lemon peel slices. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, cover, and cook for 25-30 minutes until the apples are very soft.
  2. Remove and discard the lemon peel slices and mash the hot apples until smooth and the texture of applesauce.
  3. Pour the mashed apples into a mixing bowl and allow to cool. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
  4. Stir the brown sugar, beaten eggs, heavy whipping cream, and lemon juice into the cooled mashed apples and set the filling aside.
  5. Line 2 pie dishes or pans with the 2 uncooked crusts. Roll the outer edge of each crust over to create a neat ridge at the edge of the pie dish and scallop the edge if desired.
  6. Pour half of the apple pudding filling into each prepared crust.
  7. Whisk together 1 egg yolk with 1 tsp of water and brush a thin layer of the egg wash onto the visible edge of each pie crust to promote golden browning.
  8. Bake the puddings at 375 degrees F for 80-90 minutes, or until the center no longer wiggles and the filling is browning around the outer edge of the crust. If the crust is browning faster than the filling is setting, cover the outer crust edge with foil and continue baking. Err on the side of cooking longer rather than shorter to avoid a mushy texture.
  9. When the puddings are fully cooked, remove them from the oven and allow to cool. Decorate the top with candied lemon peels if desired.

Notes

NOTES
You will also need: 2 ceramic or glass 9-inch pie dishes
Serve the pudding as you would a pumpkin pie, sliced, cold or at room temperature. Keep leftovers refrigerated for 3-4 days.