Comments on: Pie Crust - Store Bought or Home Made http://www.reluctantgourmet.com/blog/baking-recipes/pie-crusts/ You Have To Eat, So Learn To Cook & Eat Well Thu, 09 Feb 2012 00:06:41 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.7.1 hourly 1 By: Tina http://www.reluctantgourmet.com/blog/baking-recipes/pie-crusts/comment-page-1/#comment-152747 Tina Sun, 20 Mar 2011 14:25:45 +0000 http://www.reluctantgourmet.com/blog/?p=1599#comment-152747 Hi, it's me again! Just wanna say thank you so much 'coz I've tried the procedure you suggested several times and I got good pie crusts every time! :-) <em>Hi Tina, glad it worked out for you. Thanks for letting me know. - RG</em> Hi, it’s me again! Just wanna say thank you so much ‘coz I’ve tried the procedure you suggested several times and I got good pie crusts every time! :-)

Hi Tina, glad it worked out for you. Thanks for letting me know. - RG

]]> By: Jack in Victoria BC http://www.reluctantgourmet.com/blog/baking-recipes/pie-crusts/comment-page-1/#comment-151417 Jack in Victoria BC Tue, 15 Mar 2011 15:11:47 +0000 http://www.reluctantgourmet.com/blog/?p=1599#comment-151417 When pre-baking a pie crust, using pennies instead of beans or other weights has been recommended as copper if a better conductor of heat than legumes or other metals. The liner of parchment or coffee filter paper is still needed. Canada may eliminate the penny from its currency soon, so I bought several rolls to use. <em>Thanks Jack, great tip! - RG</em> When pre-baking a pie crust, using pennies instead of beans or other weights has been recommended as copper if a better conductor of heat than legumes or other metals. The liner of parchment or coffee filter paper is still needed. Canada may eliminate the penny from its currency soon, so I bought several rolls to use.

Thanks Jack, great tip! - RG

]]> By: Tina http://www.reluctantgourmet.com/blog/baking-recipes/pie-crusts/comment-page-1/#comment-150249 Tina Fri, 11 Mar 2011 09:09:32 +0000 http://www.reluctantgourmet.com/blog/?p=1599#comment-150249 Hi, Yes, it's 325 F/160 ℃ I meant. For banana cream pit, I baked only the crust. I'll try your suggestion in a few days and will let you know about the outcome. Thank you very much. Hi,

Yes, it’s 325 F/160 ℃ I meant. For banana cream pit, I baked only the crust. I’ll try your suggestion in a few days and will let you know about the outcome. Thank you very much.

]]> By: Tina http://www.reluctantgourmet.com/blog/baking-recipes/pie-crusts/comment-page-1/#comment-150014 Tina Thu, 10 Mar 2011 11:24:29 +0000 http://www.reluctantgourmet.com/blog/?p=1599#comment-150014 Thank you for the reply. I've tried it once with lard and butter only. May I ask at what temperature and for how many minutes should I set for the oven before the pie crust can be used? For this time I used mixer and then I set 325 ℃ for 20 minutes for a banana cream pie. the crust didn't hold well and I can taste the flour's flavor. I assumed all the flavors should all blend into one. Is it because I used only one teaspoon sugar? Thank you in advance! <em>Hi Tina, 325degrees C! You must meant 325F! Assuming that you baked at 325F, the next question is: is the filling baked as well as the crust? If you need a fully baked crust because the filling will not require baking, here's what I would do: 1) Line the pie pan with the dough and crimp decoratively (or not). Poke lots of little holes in the bottom of the crust with a thin knife. 2) Freeze the crust and pan for about 30-45 minutes. Baking from frozen can help minimize shrinkage. 3) Line the frozen crust with a very large coffee filter or some parchment paper. 4) Fill the crust with dried beans (I like chick peas). If you have pie weights, you can use those instead. 5) Bake the crust, beans and all, for about 15 minutes. 6) Carefully lift out the parchment/filter to remove the weights. Brush the inside of the crust, especially the bottom, with a thin coat of egg wash (1 egg well beaten with 1 teaspoon of water) 7) Return to the oven and bake until light-to-medium golden brown all over. If the edges start to brown too much, cover them with foil and turn the heat down to 350F. You really want to make sure the bottom of the crust is completely baked, or you will end up with a gummy, under baked crust. 8. Cool completely on a rack and fill with filling of your choice. If you're making a filling that requires baking, I'd still do the blind-bake (with beans) and follow the above procedure through step 6. The only difference would be to paint the egg wash in the bottom of the crust at the beginning of baking. Either way, you're looking at at least 30 minutes in the oven. Don't be afraid to let it brown just a bit--the caramelization is where you get the flavor. Otherwise, you end up with a soft, rather taste-less crust. I hope this helps. Happy baking PS You can forgo the egg wash if you plan on serving the pie--the whole pie--the same day. Otherwise, use the egg wash as a moisture barrier between a wet filling and your crisp pie crust.</em> Thank you for the reply. I’ve tried it once with lard and butter only. May I ask at what temperature and for how many minutes should I set for the oven before the pie crust can be used? For this time I used mixer and then I set 325 ℃ for 20 minutes for a banana cream pie. the crust didn’t hold well and I can taste the flour’s flavor. I assumed all the flavors should all blend into one. Is it because I used only one teaspoon sugar? Thank you in advance!

Hi Tina, 325degrees C! You must meant 325F!

Assuming that you baked at 325F, the next question is: is the filling baked as well as the crust? If you need a fully baked crust because the filling will not require baking, here’s what I would do:

1) Line the pie pan with the dough and crimp decoratively (or not). Poke lots of little holes in the bottom of the crust with a thin knife.
2) Freeze the crust and pan for about 30-45 minutes. Baking from frozen can help minimize shrinkage.
3) Line the frozen crust with a very large coffee filter or some parchment paper.
4) Fill the crust with dried beans (I like chick peas). If you have pie weights, you can use those instead.
5) Bake the crust, beans and all, for about 15 minutes.
6) Carefully lift out the parchment/filter to remove the weights. Brush the inside of the crust, especially the bottom, with a thin coat of egg wash (1 egg well beaten with 1 teaspoon of water)
7) Return to the oven and bake until light-to-medium golden brown all over. If the edges start to brown too much, cover them with foil and turn the heat down to 350F. You really want to make sure the bottom of the crust is completely baked, or you will end up with a gummy, under baked crust.
8. Cool completely on a rack and fill with filling of your choice.

If you’re making a filling that requires baking, I’d still do the blind-bake (with beans) and follow the above procedure through step 6. The only difference would be to paint the egg wash in the bottom of the crust at the beginning of baking.

Either way, you’re looking at at least 30 minutes in the oven. Don’t be afraid to let it brown just a bit–the caramelization is where you get the flavor. Otherwise, you end up with a soft, rather taste-less crust.

I hope this helps. Happy baking

PS You can forgo the egg wash if you plan on serving the pie–the whole pie–the same day. Otherwise, use the egg wash as a moisture barrier between a wet filling and your crisp pie crust.

]]> By: Tina http://www.reluctantgourmet.com/blog/baking-recipes/pie-crusts/comment-page-1/#comment-149040 Tina Sun, 06 Mar 2011 21:43:56 +0000 http://www.reluctantgourmet.com/blog/?p=1599#comment-149040 Hi, I just made a great key lime pie after reading your recipe. This is my first time doing baking. It was so much fun and then I started to follow more of your recipe. I have problem digesting some types of oil and I did a bit research saying that shortening may contain too much trans fats. I'm not sure if that's the same shortening you mentioned here and I'm wondering if there's any substitute for it. Thank you very much! <em>Hi Tina, Crisco, made by J.M. Smucker Co., is now selling a shortening with zero grams trans fat per serving. It "still has a small amount of artificial trans fat but the U.S. Food and Drug Administration allows any product with less than 0.5 grams trans fat per serving to list zero grams trans fat in its nutrition facts." If you do a google search on "0 trans-fat shortening" you can find out more information and other sources. - RG</em> Hi, I just made a great key lime pie after reading your recipe. This is my first time doing baking. It was so much fun and then I started to follow more of your recipe. I have problem digesting some types of oil and I did a bit research saying that shortening may contain too much trans fats. I’m not sure if that’s the same shortening you mentioned here and I’m wondering if there’s any substitute for it. Thank you very much!

Hi Tina, Crisco, made by J.M. Smucker Co., is now selling a shortening with zero grams trans fat per serving.
It “still has a small amount of artificial trans fat but the U.S. Food and Drug Administration allows any product with less than 0.5 grams trans fat per serving to list zero grams trans fat in its nutrition facts.”

If you do a google search on “0 trans-fat shortening” you can find out more information and other sources. - RG

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