Blackberry custard and soft apple pie

Alternative title: "Bear Stearns Rescue Pie", since it's a partial recipe of expensive ingredients backed up by a traditional apple pie made from sub-prime apples.  I'd make a Lehman Brother's pie, but I can't get past just baking an empty crust.  

Really, tho, this recipe came about because I loaned my deep dish pie pan to a couple who had just had a very cute and smart baby.  It had a lattice top cherry pie in it, but we couldn't find a time that worked for us to return it, especially since they went on a road trip a couple weeks later (yes, you did read that right, no, they didn't think it was flippin' insane).  In that time, I made a Blackberry Silk Pie, thinking it would go into a normal pan, but instead had about two cups left over since I only had standard 9" pans.  

This has kept remarkably well in the fridge since early August, but rather than push our luck, I thought I would try and get some milage out of the softer, less pie-worthy apples that came in the mixed 25lb (~11kg) bag I bought for $5.00.  The main problem with these is that they turn to mush in the oven, rather than holding the texture that is the key to good apple pies.  However, custard pies aren't supposed to have that texture, and the blackberry custard filling is very similar to some fruit dressings I've seen served with apples.  

Crust:

Basic flakey, or your favorite alternative pastry

Apple Filling:

5 cups apples, peeled and cored*

1T lemon juice

1/3 cup + 2T sugar

1T cornstarch

Custard filling:

~2/3 cup fresh blackberries (not the RIM type)

1/3 cup sugar

1 large egg at room temp

1T cornstarch

1 cup heavy cream

1/4t vanilla extract

(1) Combine berries and 1T of the sugar in a food processor and whirl until smooth, about ~30s.  In a medium bowl whisk eggs until frothy, add remaining sugar and cornstarch and blend well.  Thoroughly mix in cream, vanilla and berries.  Set aside.

(2) Roll out the pastry into a 13" circle, get it into a deep dish pie pan by your favorite method.  Place in freezer and preheat oven to 400F

(3) Mix the apples, 1/3 cup sugar and lemon juice together.  Let sit for ten minutes, then stir in cornstarch and 2T sugar.  Fold into chilled pie shell.

(4) Place the pie in the oven for 2omin, then remove and add the custard.  Reduce oven temp to 325 and return to the oven for ~40min, until the custard sets.  

(5) Cool in the refridgerator with a covering of tented Al foil

I'm writing this before I know how the pie turns out.  I'll leave a comment tomorrow one I've tasted it.