Food
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|
Coffee By Design | Portland, Maine
Photo Credit : Katherine Keenan
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).