Making a pie for your festive dinner? Brush up on the basics of baking and take note of these potential blunders which could ruin your crust
Overmixing or over-kneading can develop gluten, which can harden the crust. Be gentle with kneading and avoid excessive rolling. Leave the mixture immediately after the ingredients have blended
If your dough is too dry and crumbly, add a little more moisture with a spoonful of liquid at a time. Make sure you are measuring your flour accurately; too much flour can dry out your crust
If your crust shrinks during baking, it may be due to overworking the dough or not allowing it to rest before rolling. Let the dough rest in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes before rolling it out.
To prevent a soggy bottom, bake the crust before adding wet fillings. You can also brush the bottom crust with a beaten egg white before adding the filling to create a barrier.
If the dough cracks or tears while rolling, patch it up with extra dough and press it together. When transferring the dough to the pie dish, use the parchment paper or rolling pin to help prevent tearing.
Cover the edges of the crust with foil or a pie crust shield if they are browning too quickly. You can do this for most of the baking time and remove it near the end to allow the edges to brown.
Grease the pie dish before placing the crust to prevent sticking. You can also dust the pie dish with a little flour or use parchment paper to line the bottom.
Rotating the pie dish during baking can offer even browning. You can also cover the edges of the crust with foil or a pie crust shield if they are browning too quickly. Monitor every 10 minutes if possible