Here are a lot more hints, tips and shortcuts to make the prefect easy pie every time.

Crust Tips

Pastry Crust

Unbleached pastry flour is the best flour to use but all-purpose flour will work just fine.

Always use ice cold water in preparing the dough.

Don’t substitute milk for the water, it will make the crust brown quickly and not be as crisp.

You can sweeten the dough by adding sugar to the water first, then add the mixture to the flour.

Also, dissolve the salt in the water before adding to the flour.

Use as little flour as possible on your counter when rolling out the dough.

Bake crust in a dark pan.  Dark pans absorb heat faster.

Don’t pour hot fruit into a unbaked crust.

Use lowest level rack to bake crust.

Crust should be rolled out to 1/8th inch.

Use a rolling pin to pick up crust to place on pan.  Simply roll the crust up around the pin. If you don’t have a pin, fold crust in half, thirds or quarters, place in pan and unfold.

Don’t stretch the dough when placing it in the pan.  It will bake unevenly, leaving some parts unbaked or over baked.

When placing a top crust on, moisten the edges with egg or milk to get a good seal.  Press the edges together with the tines of a fork.

Cut slits in the top crust to allow the steam to escape.

Brush the top crust with egg or butter. Then sprinkle sugar or cinnamon in the wash. This will give your pie a homemade appearance.

Crumb Crust

Works only for no-bake, chiffon or cream pies.
You can toast crumb crust in oven for 10 minutes @ 350 degrees.
Graham cracker crust are the most popular but you can use cookies, ginger snaps or vanilla wafers.

Fillings

Custard Fillings

Insert a thin knife blade, or toothpick, near the center of the pie.  If the blade comes out clean, the pie is done.

You can also tell if the pie is done by shaking. The filling is set when the center is still slightly soft. The pie filling will set as the pie cools.

Bake crust at lowest level of oven at 425 degrees for 10 minutes.  Then reduce heat to 350 and move pie to center rack.  This will insure the crust and filling are cooked evenly.

Cream Fillings

While cooking the cream filling, make sure it comes to a boil and starts to thicken.

If you are having trouble getting the cream to set, or want a firmer pie, add a little cornstarch next time.

Fruit Fillings

You can cook the fruit on the stove top then add to a prebaked shell.

Add butter to your fruit pie filling after it has been cooked. Or dot pieces of butter over the fruit before you place on the top crust.

Don’t cut apples pieces too thin. Larger pieces will hold together and hold more apple flavor.

Add a small bit of red food color to cherry pie to give it a brighter color.  Also add a drop or 2 of almond extract.  For apricot or peach pies use a teaspoon of lemon juice.

Rinse fruit in cold water before putting in a food chopper.  They will come out much better.

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