Marlborough Pie
An elegant, long-time favorite in New England, Marlborough pie boasts an apple-infused custard flavored with lemon and sherry.
By Yankee Magazine|Nov 12 2021|
Marlborough Pie
Photo Credit: Heath RobbinsAn elegant, long-time favorite in New England, Marlborough pie boasts an apple-infused custard flavored with lemon and sherry.
Yield:
6 servingsTotal Time:
2 hours minutesHands-on Time:
50 minutes minutesIngredients
All-purpose flour (for work surface)
1/2 recipe Double-Crust Pastry, prepared and chilled
2 large firm-tart apples (about 1 pound total), such as Granny Smith or Northern Spy, peeled and cored
2 large firm-sweet apples (about 1 pound total), such as Pink Lady, peeled and cored
3 tablespoons lemon juice
3 tablespoons dry sherry
2 tablespoons salted butter
2/3 cup granulated sugar
3 large eggs
1 cup light cream
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon table salt
Instructions
Preheat your oven to 400° and set a rack to the middle position. On a floured surface, roll out one disc of dough (freeze the other disc for later), working from the center, into a 10-inch circle, about 1/8 inch thick. Carefully transfer the dough to a 9-inch pie plate and press into the sides. Drape any excess crust over the edge; then fold under and crimp. Use a fork to prick holes in the bottom of the dough. Line the dough with foil and fill with dried beans or pie weights. Bake 8 minutes. Remove the weights and foil carefully; then continue baking another 5 minutes (the crust will still look pale). Remove from the oven and set aside.
Reduce the oven temperature to 350°. Using a box grater, grate the apples down to the core. Transfer to a medium-size bowl and stir in the lemon juice and sherry. In a large, heavy-bottomed skillet over medium-high heat, melt the butter; then add the apples (with their liquid) and the sugar, and cook, stirring, until the liquid begins to boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer; then continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until the apples are tender and most of the liquid evaporates, about 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and let cool 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, in a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, cream, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. Stir in the apple mixture. Pour the filling into the crust; then bake until the custard is set but not browned, about 35 minutes. Let cool on a rack 30 minutes; then serve warm or at room temperature.
Double-Crust Pastry
Ingredients:
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for work surface
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 teaspoon kosher salt
18 tablespoons (2¼ sticks) chilled unsalted butter, cut into small cubes
6–8 tablespoons ice water
Is that flour measurement in the crust recipe incorrect? Compared to most other pie recipes, half of a cup of flour seems to be a very low ratio relative to the butter.
Hi Steve. Thanks for letting us know. It looks like the “2” in the “2 1/2 cups” was inadvertently omitted when publishing the recipe online. We’ve corrected the error!
What can you use in place of sherry?
Sandra, I haven’t made this pie yet, but maybe you could use apple cider, or apple juice instead of the sherry. It will probably change the flavor of the pie a little bit, but it’s a small amount of sherry, so I think the substitution could work.
I am curious about the origins of this pie. None of us in my family (from New Hampshire and Connecticut) have ever heard of this.
I found this recipe several years ago and it was an instant family favorite.
Originates from Marlborough in England where it is a pudding not pie.I’m guessing it was brought across to America by settlers in 17th century or thereabouts.
If you don’t use the sherry, dont bother to make this.
In the oven now. Followed to the letter. Fingers crossed. Presenting this to my girlfriend’s parents tomorrow.
I have made this pie numerous times now and even put my own twist on it by adding a crumble topping which is amazing! Make sure to add pecans and walnuts into your crumble – enjoy!
I wonder if you could add some apple butter to the grated apple mixture?
The original Marlboro Pie was made with all applesauce, canned evaporated milk, eggs. Applesauce was used because the early settlers stewed everything. They had poor dental health and apples were to hard to bite. I’ve tweaked recipe by making pie with half shredded green apples and half unsweetened chunky applesauce. My Grandmother made many every Thanksgiving and I have been doing the same for over 40 years. It’s a great next morning pie. Funny note: For a long time my youngest child would never eat this pie because of it’s name. When I asked why he wouldn’t even try it? He said cigarettes are addicting. Finally when he was older and ate a piece, he said he was going to call it Mom’s Best Apple Pie.
The original Marlborough pie was not made with canned milk because the pie predates the invention of canned milk by centuries. Gail Borden invented canned milk in 1854, the pie dates to 1660 in England. The earliest recipe in the US is from 1796 in Amelia Simmons’s American Cookery.
Please send your recipe to me at rbranch1013@gmail.com. Thanks in advance, Burt
The only thing I did differently was to blend the apple mixture after cooking into a form of applesauce so it would be creamier. Unfortunately, something went wrong. I think I’d have to bake it a lot longer. The flavor was there. It was amazing! But it turned more into a liquidy pudding instead of a custard. It just never set. And I baked it for 40 minutes instead of 35. I expected it to set up like a cheesecake would…a little wobbly coming out of the oven, but setting as it cooled.
It really is too tasty of a pie not to have it turn out right. Try 1 cup of grated green apples (adds a nice texture) & 1 cup unsweetened applesauce. 1/2 C. sugar, 2 beaten eggs, 2 Tbls. lemon juice, 1/2 C. evaporated milk(canned), 1/2 tsp .each cinnamon & nutmeg, 1/4 C. melted butter (slightly cooled). Pour everything into pre-baked 9″pie shell. Bake 15 mins. @ 450 then oven to 350 and bake for 20 additional minutes till center is set. May need a few more minutes. I drizzle melted butterscotch chips on top & crust edge. I promise you’ll get the accolades you desire.
Is this available for purchase anywhere?
Ready to come out of the oven. Followed recipe to a “t”…does not have a smooth look to it, but seems to be okay. Can’t wait to taste test
I’ve made this numerous times, and for me the most important thing is to cook the apples until the liquid is gone. Takes me 30 minutes or more and looks similar to mashed potatoes. Also get them to room temp before combining with the custard.
Was intrigued by inclusion of dry sherry and I had an extra pie crust laying around do gave this a try. I wish I had used some Granny Smith’s but just used what I had as the apple flavor was muted. Actually my first thought after taking a bite is I thought I was eating rice pudding pie, not unpleasant but odd. Will see if the flavors melded more overnight. Mine definitely set though never got as brown as the picture and that was after baking for 45 minutes. I might consider making it again if only to try it with more flavorful apples ( I used Pink Ladies and this new variety called Cosmic Crisp).