Ten Important Things to Consider When Making Pies

Check out the following tips below to make a great pie.

1. Make your very own pie dough – It is better to create your very own pie dough ahead of time rather than opting to buy premade pie dough from the store. A well-made pie crust can do a lot for your pie. To make your pie dough, a measured mix of flour, salt, and sugar with an addition of cold butter cubes is all you need. Mix them together until the dough looks like peppercorns and peas.

Remove the mixture from the bowl and transfer it into a clean plastic bag, wrap it tightly, label, and place it inside the freezer. You can use this pie dough for up to two months. If you want to make a pie, simply thaw the dough, and put the mix in a bowl, and add water. Always remember, using cold dough is an important aspect of making your pie crust flaky and delicious.

If you are making a large batch of pies, you can prepare your pie crust ahead of time. Press your pie shells in disposable tins and store them inside the freezer for up to a month. You can bake directly from the freezer. There is no need to thaw since the pie crust will hold its shape.

2. Use cold butter – The key to making a pie dough that is flaky and delicious while managing to be sturdy enough to hold up to your fillings is cold butter. Butter will melt easily and will soften, so you need to take measures to prevent it from happening. One way to keep it cold is with ice water. You should also avoid handling your dough too much because the butter in the dough can melt.

Roll it out on a cold surface to keep it cold. You can easily chill your countertop with chill packs. If you are worried that your dough is becoming too warm, you can stop the process and place it inside the freezer to keep it cool. During the summertime, you can freeze your pies for approximately ten minutes before baking them. You can also use vegetable shortening for two-thirds the butter needed of the recipe to prevent it from softening because of warm room temperature.

3. Always remember to roll out your dough – When making a pie crust, remember to always roll out your dough. To prevent it from sticking on the counter, you can dust with a little bit of flour, but not too much, as this can make it tough. If your dough is too sticky, you must place it inside the freezer before you roll it out in between two pieces of wax or parchment paper. This can help avoid scraping up bits of dough, which will make it easier for you to transfer the dough to your pie tins.

4. Opt for streusels instead of top crusts – Pie crusts can be decorated and it can be a fun and great way of showing off your art skills. But this can be a time-consuming activity, especially for new bakers. To cut down on the time spent on this, you can use streusel instead. To make a streusel, use two cups of flour, one and three-fourths cups of sugar, three-fourths tsp. salt, and mix in a processor. Add ten oz. of butter cubes and mix until it resembles crumbs and curds. If you love toasted nuts, you can also add half a cup to the pie mixture.

5. Always remember this fruit pie formula – Here is the recipe: mix five cups of fruit, half a cup of sugar, a fourth of a cup of cornstarch, and a pinch of salt. This recipe can be adjusted according to your preference. If you are using tart or acidic fruits, you can add more sugar. If you are using extremely ripe fruit, you can add more cornstarch, add a tablespoon at a time until you get the desired consistency.

6. Pick a low maintenance fruit – When making a pie if you are in a rush, you must pick a fruit that is easy to handle. You must avoid peaches and choose berries like raspberries, blueberries, and blackberries as they can be baked inside a pie as soon as you buy them from the store, which means that you will not be spending a lot of time preparing for the perfect filling. If you have limited time to prepare a pie, always settle for an easy to handle type of fruit.

If you want to cook your fruit before adding them to your pie for texture or to improve its flavor, you must remember that hard fruits, such as pears or apples can be cooked for a long time while soft fruits like berries must be cooked as little as possible, as they can become too soggy and soft, which will make your pie filling too watery.

7. To prevent your dough from shrinking – Allow the dough to rest more so the gluten can relax and avoid returning to its smaller shape while baking. Always compare your pie dough to a rubber band; it will need more time to stretch out. After mixing your dough, you can wrap it in plastic and leave it inside the freezer for at least 30 minutes.

After rolling the dough, let it rest for at least 5 minutes on the counter before placing it inside the pie tin to prevent it from shrinking. Do not stretch the dough to mold it into the pie tin as it can return to its previous size while it is baking inside the oven. After placing the filling in the pie, refrigerate it for 10 minutes before baking it.

8. Avoid using spices – During summertime, spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, allspice, cloves can be used but it is best to leave them sometimes. If you are using locally grown fruits, they can be perfect to use for pies.

If the pie filling needs acidity, you can add lemon zest instead of adding lemon juice. Adding lemon juice to your filling can alter the consistency of your filling. If your filling needs more liquids when you are using nectarines or dry apples or pears, you can add lemon juice or cider vinegar for a nice tangy addition to your pie’s filling.

9. If you prefer a simple and laid back pie, you can skip adding fruits – You can try making chess pies, a classic southern pie which is custard-based and can be easily prepared using cornmeal and buttermilk. You can make chocolate, lemon, caramel, and honey flavored pies. These can easily be made ahead of your events.

The filling can be made days ahead and stored inside the refrigerator. The day before, you can bake the pie crust and store it at room temperature. During the day of the event, if you are ready to bake, you can pour the filling mixture into the pie crust and bake it until the center wiggles a bit.

10. Baking the pie – When baking pies you must check the pie’s crust and inspect it, the color must be golden brown and not raw. If you are baking fruit pies, you must look for thick and slow bubbling on the top. If you are baking chess pies, look out for a slight puffing of the custard and slight jiggle of the center when you try shaking it.

When taking your pies in and out of the oven, you can use a rimmed sheet tray and line it with parchment paper. Place your pies on the bottom rack of the oven while it is baking and move them to the top rack when it is almost cooked to give the top crust to a golden brown color and make it crispy.

Always remember that pies need to be cooled before serving. You can use a cooling rack, but this is not necessary. If you need a pie for an evening event, you can prepare it in the morning. If a pie is needed for breakfast or lunch, you can make it the night before. Fruit pies need more time to cool for approximately three to four hours. If the pie is warm to touch, do not cut it, allow it to cool first.

Important Note: When serving pies, remember that you need to keep them fresh so that it will last longer. You must use tools like Stay Fresh Pie Cutters to keep your pies fresh and delicious. You can get them from Pie Cutters.

Are you looking for tips to make the best pie? If you are a big fan of pies, you’ve come to the right place. Pie Cutters offers Stay Fresh Pie Cutters that can keep your pies fresh for the upcoming holidays. If you have any questions or inquiries about our shop or the products that we offer, please contact us.

You can call us at 1-800-774-0784, or write us an email at spark@bbsc.net. Our address is 32272 Amber Road, Lucerne Valley, California 92356. What are you waiting for? Contact us today so we can help you keep your pies stay fresh so that you and your family can enjoy it for a long time for your upcoming parties, events, and celebrations.