What Does It Imply To Pre Bake Pie Crust?
Pre baking a pie crust is if you bake the unfilled, uncooked pie crust for a brief period of time earlier than filling. After baking, you then fill the pie with the filling of your alternative. You then both bake the crammed pie once more to cook dinner the filling, OR serve instantly if the filling doesn’t must be cooked.
There are numerous good the explanation why you need to pre bake pie crust.
Nonetheless, I wish to pre bake pie crust as a result of doing so retains the crust crispy and prevents the underside from getting soggy. Sure, a pre baked pie crust stays crispy even after being stuffed with a custard filling (just like the one in this chocolate chess pie recipe or this rhubarb custard one)!
Cool, proper?! It’s such a foolproof technique that I now use it for all of the custard pie recipes on Hummingbird Excessive!
When Ought to You Pre Bake Pie Crust?
Listed below are all of the situations for once I advocate the pre baking technique:
1. When the crust must be baked longer than the filling.
When a recipe instructs you to pre bake a pie crust, that normally implies that the pie’s crust and filling have totally different baking instances. One might want to bake for longer within the oven to be executed. Sometimes, the crust takes longer to cook dinner than the filling. That is usually the case for pie recipes with custard fillings, like this chocolate chess pie, this pumpkin pie, or this rhubarb custard pie.
Pre baking the crust for these varieties of pies will give the pie crust a head begin by partially baking it. After you add the filling to the partially baked crust and bake your complete factor, each the crust and the filling can be executed on the identical time.
2. When the filling doesn’t must be baked or cooked.
Typically, the pie crust will must be utterly baked after which crammed. That is widespread for pie recipes like ice cream or pudding pies, the place the filling doesn’t must be baked in any respect.
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How To Pre Bake Pie Crust
Listed below are the fundamental steps to pre bake a pie crust:
1. Make your favourite pie crust (or, use a retailer purchased one!).
Comply with your recipe’s directions to make the pie dough.
When you’re on the lookout for a great pie crust recipe, positively try my recipe for how you can make pie crust in a stand mixer.
@hummingbirdhigh the simplest technique to make #pie dough, i promise! #bakingtiktok #bakinghacks ♬ Glad Pizza – Tom Howe
When you’ve made your pie dough and it’s able to be assembled, mildew it onto the pie plate to type the underside crust and crimp its edges. Use a fork to prick holes into the underside and sides of the crust.
2. Freeze the crust earlier than pre baking.
Some recipes will instruct you to bake it straight away. However I wish to freeze the crust earlier than pre baking. The chilling time permits the gluten within the dough to chill out and forestall shrinking when baking.
So I like to recommend freezing the pie crust for at the least 1 hour earlier than pre baking. You probably have time, I like to recommend freezing for even longer—ideally in a single day, however for so long as 3 months.
3. Assemble the crust for pre baking.
As soon as the pie crust is frozen stable, cowl it with a sheet of aluminum foil. Guarantee that the crimp is totally coated. Pour pie weights over the aluminum foil. The pie weights maintain the dough in place. With out them, the crust tends to puff up within the middle and stoop down the edges of the pan.
You should purchase various kinds of pie weights on-line or any specialty baking retailer. Nonetheless, know that not all pie weights are made equal—I personally suppose that the load chains aren’t as efficient as the ceramic beans.
Alternatively, if you happen to don’t wish to purchase a specialty software, you should use different gadgets in your pantry and family. You should use raw rice or beans, and even the cash in your spare change jar. Simply make sure to fill the coated pie crust as a lot as you possibly can, all the way in which to the highest. Doing so may also assist the pie crust hold its form within the oven.
4. Pre bake the pie crust.
After you’ve prepped your pie, comply with to pre bake the pie within the recipe. In case your recipe doesn’t have directions and also you’re questioning how lengthy to pre bake the pie, right here’s what I do:
I pre bake the prepped pie crust at 350°F. If the crust is selfmade from scratch, I pre bake for 35 minutes. If the crust is store-bought, I pre bake for half-hour.
5. Egg wash the pre baked pie crust, then bake once more.
After 30 to 35 minutes, take away the pie from the oven (however hold the oven on!). Rigorously carry out the aluminum foil and pie weights. Then, brush the underside and sides of the crust with egg white. In case your egg white is simply too thick, add a touch or two of water to skinny it out.
Doing so creates a water-proof seal that stops the the underside and sides of the crust from absorbing the filling, maintaining it crispy. Bake for an extra 5 minutes to set the egg wash.
@hummingbirdhigh no extra soggy bottoms! #baking #bakingtiktok #pie ♬ The Nice British Bake Off – Tom Howe
Troubleshooting and FAQ
Pre Bake versus Par Bake: Are They Completely different?
Let’s get some terminology straight. After I was doing analysis for the pie chapter of my cookbook, Weeknight Baking, I acquired actually confused. I stored seeing a ton of recipes that both instructed me to “pre bake” or “par bake” my pie crust. I wasn’t certain what the distinction was between the 2. Nevertheless it seems they imply the identical factor!
How lengthy to pre bake retailer purchased pie crust?
It will depend on the sort of retailer purchased pie crust. However generally, I pre bake retailer purchased pie crust at 350°F for half-hour.
Observe that the majority retailer purchased pie crusts come molded onto a disposable pie plate. These kinds of pie crusts normally have directions on how you can pre bake the crust. I encourage you to disregard these directions.
Why?
Every time I comply with the directions given by the shop purchased crust, I discover that the ensuing crust is rarely crispy or executed sufficient. I a lot desire my technique of pre baking pie crust!
Why did my pie crust shrink?
Listed below are all of the potential the explanation why your pie crust shrank in the course of the pre baking course of:
- You didn’t freeze the crust earlier than baking.
The gluten within the pie dough usually must relaxation and chill earlier than being baked. Plus, a frozen pie crust is extra more likely to maintain its form. - You didn’t use sufficient pie weights.
Make sure to use a LOT of pie weights in the course of the pre baking course of—the extra you employ, the higher! - You pre baked the pie at a temperature greater than 350°F.
Pie crusts usually tend to shrink when baked at excessive temperatures like 400°F+. I desire to bake my pies at a decrease temperature (normally between 350°F to 375°F) for longer.
What are pie weights and why do I want to make use of them?
Pie weights are sometimes used when pre baking unfilled pie crusts. The pie weights hold the crust from puffing up within the middle. Additionally they assist forestall the crust from sliding down the perimeters of the pie pan.
You may purchase pie weights on-line; they arrive in many alternative styles and sizes. Nonetheless, just like frozen pie crust, not all pie weights are created equal! Keep away from the chains—usually instances, they aren’t heavy sufficient to maintain the pie from puffing up and/or sliding down the edges of the pan. As a substitute, go for the ceramic balls. I’ve a set of those in my kitchen!
I don’t have pie weights. What can I take advantage of as a substitute?
Alternatively, if you happen to don’t wish to add one other specialty software to your crowded kitchen (I get it!), you possibly can DIY pie weights with on a regular basis substances and different gadgets. Some folks use dried beans and raw rice as a substitute of pie weights. They declare that, after doing so, you possibly can nonetheless cook dinner the beans and rice to eat such as you usually would! Nonetheless, once I tried this trick, I seen that each my beans and rice had a humorous taste. Perhaps that’s simply me, although.
So as a substitute of utilizing beans or rice, I as a substitute advocate you employ cash out of your spare change jar. The cash gained’t soften within the oven, and you may reuse the change after it’s cooled down.
Pie Recipes To Make With Pre Baked Pie Crust
Listed below are some pie recipes you possibly can strive with the brand new technique I simply taught you:
Pre Baked Pie Crust Recipe
yield: 1 (9-inch) pie
Particular Tools
-
aluminum foil
-
pie weights
-
pastry brush
Components
- sufficient roll out pie dough for a 9-inch pie pan (both selfmade or store-bought), chilled however NOT frozen OR frozen store-bought pie crust in a pie plate
- 1 giant egg white
- 1 teaspoon water
- pinch of kosher salt
Notes
- You should use both selfmade or store-bought pie crust for this recipe. Simply be aware that they’ve barely totally different preparation and Bake Occasions—learn the recipe rigorously!
- Sometimes, grocery shops promote two various kinds of store-bought pie crust. The primary form is the place the dough is rolled up in a sheet, and you should do the work of becoming it onto the pie plate your self. The second form is the place the dough is already molded onto a pie plate (normally one made from disposable aluminum), and all you should do is fill it. Once more, you should use both form for this recipe. Nonetheless, they’ll have barely totally different preparations and Bake Occasions as instructed within the recipe!
NO TIME TO BAKE?!
Over the previous a number of years of working Hummingbird Excessive, I stored a vital side of my life hidden from my readers: I had a full-time, extraordinarily demanding job within the tech world. In my debut cookbook, Weeknight Baking, I lastly reveal the secrets and techniques to baking scrumptious desserts on a decent schedule.
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