Granny Smith Apple Custard Pie is a Special Treat

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Granny Smith Apple Custard Pie is a Special Treat
by Harriet Hodgson

Description: Looking for a sugar-free, low-fat apple pie recipe? This apple custard pie recipe should do the trick!

Apples are a versatile fruit and maybe that is why Americans love them so much. We eat an apple when we are hungry, make homemadeapple sauce, add apple slices to salads, pair apples with meats and vegetables, and make all sorts of apple pies. Many cooks prefer Granny Smith apples because they hold their shape when baked. Granny Smiths do not turn brown as quickly as other apples.

The origin of the Granny Smith apple is a bit hazy. According to the Washington Apple Country Tours Web site, the apple was invented by an Australian, Marie Ana Smith, some time in the 1860s. Legend has it that Smith discarded some crab apples in her yard. The apples sprouted, Smith cultivated them, and the result was the Granny Smith apple, named in her honor.

Granny Smith apples made their way to England in the 1930s. They reached the US in 1972 and quickly became an American favorite. The Produce Oasis Web Site says you should test the firmness of apples before buying them. The apples should feel solid and heavy. Do not buy bruised apples, apples that have dark spots or wrinkled skins. Put the apples in a plastic bag and store them in a cool, dark place.

Apples are good for you. One medium apple has 80 calories, no fat, no sodium, 22 grams of carbohydrate, 5 grams of fiber, and 17 grams of sugar. Apples are also a good source of vitamin C. The recipe tells you to arrange the sliced apples in circles, but if you are short of time you may pour the slices into the pie crust. Flatten the slices a bit with your hand. Granny Smith Apple Custard Pie tastes best the day you make it. Dig in!

INGREDIENTS:

1 package refrigerated pie crusts (Use one and freeze the other.)
4 large Granny Smith apples
3 tablespoons flour
1/2 teaspoon low sodium salt
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 cup Splenda Blend for Baking (sugar substitute)
2 large eggs, room temperature
3/4 cup fat free half and half
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
dash of freshly-grated nutmeg

METHOD:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Lay crust in 9" pie plate. Pinch rim with fingers to make a decorative edge. Peel, core and slice apples. (You should have about four cups.) Sprinkle slices with flour, salt, cinnamon, and 3/4 cup Splenda Blend for Baking. Arrange apples in overlapping circles on crust.

In a small bowl whisk eggs, fat free half and half, remaining 1/4 cup sugar, vanilla, and nutmeg. Gently pour the custard over the apple slices. If you don't have enough custard make another half batch and add it to the pie filling.

Cover the pie loosely with release foil and set on jelly roll pan. Bake for 45 minutes. Remove the foil and bake another 30 minutes, or until knife inserted in custard comes out clean.

Cool pie for 15-20 minutes. Cover again with release foil and refrigerate. Top with sugar free, fat free topping or sweetened whipped cream. Makes 8 servings.

Harriet Hodgson has been a freelance nonfiction writer for 29 years. Before she became a health writer she was a food writer for a local magazine. She is a member of the Association of Health Care Journalists and the Association for Death Education and Counseling. Her 24th book, "Smiling Through Your Tears: Anticipating Grief," written with Lois Krahn, MD, is available from http://www.amazon.com. A five-star review of the book is posted on Amazon. You will find other reviews on the American Hospice Foundaiton Web site ("School Corner" heading) and the Health Ministries Association Web site.

Please visit Harriet Hodgson's Web site and learn more about this busy writer.

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