Pie masters, help me troubleshoot my pies
June 16, 2024 8:28 AM Subscribe
I'm learning to bake sweets from scratch and it's going all right. I've got the important part down: It tastes good! But ... I am struggling to make a nice, neat-looking pie crust. I keep giving my parents these really tasty, but really ugly pies. I run into a couple of issues:
1. The pie crust splits too much around the edges when rolling it out, making it difficult to get a neat edge to start with. I'm guessing this has to do with temperature - it certainly rolls out better when it's been allowed to warm up just a little. My fridge is set to 37F, is that too cold? I can't just "trim off" the splits, they go too far and I won't have enough. I can't seem to mend them neatly. And I'm paranoid about overworking the dough or letting it get TOO warm.
2. When baking the pie crust, the edges often slump down into the pan. I do the whole crimping thing, of course - I am very anal about following baking recipes to the letter the first time, so I at least know that that's not the problem. What do you do to stop this from happening? Do I need a different type of pie pan? Do I need to press the foil against the sides more firmly when I'm blind baking? Do I need to buy actual pie weights (I've been using whatever old dry beans I have)?
Note: Suggestions to buy pie crusts will be thrown in the trash, along with the pie crust I just ruined. This is a matter of PRINCIPLE now
1. The pie crust splits too much around the edges when rolling it out, making it difficult to get a neat edge to start with. I'm guessing this has to do with temperature - it certainly rolls out better when it's been allowed to warm up just a little. My fridge is set to 37F, is that too cold? I can't just "trim off" the splits, they go too far and I won't have enough. I can't seem to mend them neatly. And I'm paranoid about overworking the dough or letting it get TOO warm.
2. When baking the pie crust, the edges often slump down into the pan. I do the whole crimping thing, of course - I am very anal about following baking recipes to the letter the first time, so I at least know that that's not the problem. What do you do to stop this from happening? Do I need a different type of pie pan? Do I need to press the foil against the sides more firmly when I'm blind baking? Do I need to buy actual pie weights (I've been using whatever old dry beans I have)?
Note: Suggestions to buy pie crusts will be thrown in the trash, along with the pie crust I just ruined. This is a matter of PRINCIPLE now
Sounds like your crust recipe might have either too much liquid or too much fat (butter or shortening) in it; it's getting heavy and the structure is overwhelmed. If you're doing all-butter crusts they are very delicate and finicky, maybe try finding one with a butter/shortening mix.
For the rolling: how long are you letting it chill and rest? It needs a good half-hour for the gluten to do its thing.
Crusts are tricky! I pretty much only use highly vetted recipes and have been baking for years, and even so I'll still flop one crust out of four.
posted by We put our faith in Blast Hardcheese at 9:00 AM on June 16
For the rolling: how long are you letting it chill and rest? It needs a good half-hour for the gluten to do its thing.
Crusts are tricky! I pretty much only use highly vetted recipes and have been baking for years, and even so I'll still flop one crust out of four.
posted by We put our faith in Blast Hardcheese at 9:00 AM on June 16
I solve the splitting edges issue by laminating the pie dough. That is, roll the dough out into a rectangle and then fold it like a letter and roll it out again. At that point the edges should be less ragged and the dough should be smoother. This also makes the crust flakier.
Check out the link above from King Arthur Baking for a better description that has pictures.
posted by Maeve at 9:06 AM on June 16 [13 favorites]
Check out the link above from King Arthur Baking for a better description that has pictures.
posted by Maeve at 9:06 AM on June 16 [13 favorites]
I generally struggle with these precise issues as well.
If you solve #1, #2 will become easier because it will be easier to create enough overhang to account for the slump. For #1, the dough will probably tolerate a lot more warmth and reworking that you anticipate. What I would try is saying to yourself, "I'm not going to worry about temperature or overwork for this next crust one little bit" and then reworking the dough as necessary until all of the splits are solved and you have plenty of crimp for the shrinkage. You may get a nice result in this way, or you may run into other problems because of warming or reworking, but in the latter case you'll get a much better idea of the opposite limit from the one that you are currently attending to closely, so will have a better idea of the tradeoffs involved.
My last thought is that a double crust lattice, though not appropriate for every pie, is pretty easy to do and visually impressive and will distract from imperfect crimping unless you are entering pie contests at the state fair or something.
posted by Kwine at 9:06 AM on June 16 [6 favorites]
If you solve #1, #2 will become easier because it will be easier to create enough overhang to account for the slump. For #1, the dough will probably tolerate a lot more warmth and reworking that you anticipate. What I would try is saying to yourself, "I'm not going to worry about temperature or overwork for this next crust one little bit" and then reworking the dough as necessary until all of the splits are solved and you have plenty of crimp for the shrinkage. You may get a nice result in this way, or you may run into other problems because of warming or reworking, but in the latter case you'll get a much better idea of the opposite limit from the one that you are currently attending to closely, so will have a better idea of the tradeoffs involved.
My last thought is that a double crust lattice, though not appropriate for every pie, is pretty easy to do and visually impressive and will distract from imperfect crimping unless you are entering pie contests at the state fair or something.
posted by Kwine at 9:06 AM on June 16 [6 favorites]
All the best information about making pies can be found on Erin Jeanne McDowell's Youtube!
posted by blacktshirtandjeans at 9:12 AM on June 16 [2 favorites]
posted by blacktshirtandjeans at 9:12 AM on June 16 [2 favorites]
Response by poster: I'm already using a recipe with a butter and shortening mix, and I'm already letting the crust chill for at least thirty minutes before baking. But it's still shrinking and slumping. I shake my fist at the pie gods - am I not following their rituals!?!!
These suggestions are helpful though! I'll try increasing the recipe so I have more margin for error and more overhang, and I'll watch/read these tips.
posted by Kutsuwamushi at 9:29 AM on June 16
These suggestions are helpful though! I'll try increasing the recipe so I have more margin for error and more overhang, and I'll watch/read these tips.
posted by Kutsuwamushi at 9:29 AM on June 16
Ann Reardon: How To Cook That I just wanted to give you a link to this You Tube channel as a resource. Ann has a huge library of how to preparation for foods, and she gets into the nitty gritty fine detail of adjusting ingredients. She specializes in pastries and cakes. I hope it is helpful.
posted by effluvia at 9:43 AM on June 16
posted by effluvia at 9:43 AM on June 16
I haven't tried this myself, but several years ago, the folks at Cooks Illustrated, who extensively test everything, wrote a piece claiming that the secret to great pie crust, including rolling it out more easily, is vodka. Their article is behind a paywall, but Food 52 explains and provides a recipe.
posted by FencingGal at 9:43 AM on June 16 [2 favorites]
posted by FencingGal at 9:43 AM on June 16 [2 favorites]
A few recommendations:
Pie crusts need less water than it may seem. Add water one tablespoon at a time. Once the crust just starts to come together, dump it on to the surface you use to roll it out. There should still be separate little clumps. Bring it all together there using the envelope fold technique Maeve describes, folding the little clumps into the main part of the crust.
I usually make the crust a day ahead of time and refrigerate over night. Try to get the crust into as thin a disk as possible before putting it in the refrigerator to rest. That will help when rolling out later.
When you go to make your pie, start by rolling out the bottom crust. Put the crust in the pie pan and put it back in the refrigerator while you make the filling, this will firm up the crush and make it easier to shape the edges. It will also hold its shape better when you put it in the oven.
If you get splits when rolling out the crust, you can fold that part of the edge back into crust. Then roll that section flat. That should give you a nice clean edge.
Finally, when you add the top crust, fold the edges outward over tha bottom crust, tucking it just inside the pie pan. If possible put the assembled pie in the refrigerator a few minutes to let the crust firm up. You can rub some of the sugar and thickener mixture you add to the filling on the inside of the crust to prevent a soggy bottom. When you bring the pie out of the refrigerator, make any final decorations or crimping. If desired, you can add an egg wash and/or sprinkle on some sugar, and then into the oven.
posted by chrisulonic at 9:57 AM on June 16 [2 favorites]
Pie crusts need less water than it may seem. Add water one tablespoon at a time. Once the crust just starts to come together, dump it on to the surface you use to roll it out. There should still be separate little clumps. Bring it all together there using the envelope fold technique Maeve describes, folding the little clumps into the main part of the crust.
I usually make the crust a day ahead of time and refrigerate over night. Try to get the crust into as thin a disk as possible before putting it in the refrigerator to rest. That will help when rolling out later.
When you go to make your pie, start by rolling out the bottom crust. Put the crust in the pie pan and put it back in the refrigerator while you make the filling, this will firm up the crush and make it easier to shape the edges. It will also hold its shape better when you put it in the oven.
If you get splits when rolling out the crust, you can fold that part of the edge back into crust. Then roll that section flat. That should give you a nice clean edge.
Finally, when you add the top crust, fold the edges outward over tha bottom crust, tucking it just inside the pie pan. If possible put the assembled pie in the refrigerator a few minutes to let the crust firm up. You can rub some of the sugar and thickener mixture you add to the filling on the inside of the crust to prevent a soggy bottom. When you bring the pie out of the refrigerator, make any final decorations or crimping. If desired, you can add an egg wash and/or sprinkle on some sugar, and then into the oven.
posted by chrisulonic at 9:57 AM on June 16 [2 favorites]
Resting it in the fridge after you put the crust in the pan is important to minimize the shrinkage you’re seeing.
posted by janell at 10:06 AM on June 16 [2 favorites]
posted by janell at 10:06 AM on June 16 [2 favorites]
I put my bottom crusts in the freezer while doing everything else, in fact. Pretty sure I got this from Rose Levy Berenbaum’s book on pastry and pie, q.v.
posted by clew at 10:09 AM on June 16 [1 favorite]
posted by clew at 10:09 AM on June 16 [1 favorite]
This is maybe not quite the advice you want but an accomplished pie-baking friend of mine finally convinced me last year that blind-baking is often NOT WORTH IT (instead, worry about getting your bottom crust nice and fully cooked via your choice of pan (metal, good conductor) and oven placement (low, ideally on top of a pizza stone or pizza steel)) and my pie life has improved a whole, whole lot as a result.
posted by redfoxtail at 10:09 AM on June 16 [7 favorites]
posted by redfoxtail at 10:09 AM on June 16 [7 favorites]
How warm is your kitchen? A warm kitchen can mean your crust starts to soften too much (though the splits make that a less likely problem).
How hot is your oven? My oven is a little cool and also the temperature cycles are too broad (it cools too much then reheats too hot). If you have a similar problem, that can cause some slumping because the too cool oven starts melting things before they get baked in place.
Also you mention about following the recipe to the letter— but crust needs the right amount of water, and that depends on the weather and how hydrated your flour is and etc. It had to be done by feel.
posted by nat at 11:22 AM on June 16 [3 favorites]
How hot is your oven? My oven is a little cool and also the temperature cycles are too broad (it cools too much then reheats too hot). If you have a similar problem, that can cause some slumping because the too cool oven starts melting things before they get baked in place.
Also you mention about following the recipe to the letter— but crust needs the right amount of water, and that depends on the weather and how hydrated your flour is and etc. It had to be done by feel.
posted by nat at 11:22 AM on June 16 [3 favorites]
Almost all of my pie recipes are intended for much shallower pie dishes than what are often sold these days. I had to order regular depth pie dishes online because I couldn’t find any that weren’t “deep dish” or some other ridiculous size. When the pie dish is the correct height, the crust won’t have nearly as much vertical shrink and the weight will be small enough that it can support itself. The filling can cook more evenly, and the steam can escape faster from the center when it is cooling so you get less soggy pies. Also my pie crust recipe makes a double crust pie with plenty of leftovers when I’m making my regular size pies, so rolling them out isn’t quite so fussy since I always have extra to trim.
Other tips and tricks, let’s see…
When you make the pie crust, right after you’ve brought it together with your liquid, form it into a ball shape (or in my case cut it roughly in half and then make two balls, one for each crust), and then smoosh the ball into a squat cylinder. Then wrap in parchment or wax paper and refrigerate it for at least fifteen minutes. That way, when you are ready to roll it out, you are starting with a roughly circular shape. Much less need to manipulate the dough in ways it doesn’t want.
The bottom crust can be a complete patchwork. It’s going to be covered by filling! As long as you have enough excess around the edges, you can fold it under and crimp with a fork, spoon, or your fingers to make a pretty edge and squish together any odd uneven areas or repairs. The top crust can be squished into the excess of the bottom crust all around the edge, so you can kind of fuss with it and line up areas where one side has too much and the other has too little. If you need to patch a big split, treat it a little like patching clay - use milk with a little flour beaten into it, score the areas of crust that will be touching with a fork, apply the milk flour glue on both scores surfaces, press to combine.
You might be overworking your crust - err on the side of underworking it, so if you need to go in and do a lot of adjustments and fiddling, you can. When playing with the crust and making it look pretty, have cold, floured fingers.
Check that your oven rack is at the right height. The sugar in fruit pies in particular can burn so easily and they are often single crust pies so you can do a lower rack to allow the bottom crust to properly cook without the filling burning. Different things for different pies.
I always use the kind of rolling pin that is a tapered stick, not the heavy annoying kind with handles and ball bearings. It allows me so much more control. You might have a strong preference too.
posted by Mizu at 12:07 PM on June 16 [2 favorites]
Other tips and tricks, let’s see…
When you make the pie crust, right after you’ve brought it together with your liquid, form it into a ball shape (or in my case cut it roughly in half and then make two balls, one for each crust), and then smoosh the ball into a squat cylinder. Then wrap in parchment or wax paper and refrigerate it for at least fifteen minutes. That way, when you are ready to roll it out, you are starting with a roughly circular shape. Much less need to manipulate the dough in ways it doesn’t want.
The bottom crust can be a complete patchwork. It’s going to be covered by filling! As long as you have enough excess around the edges, you can fold it under and crimp with a fork, spoon, or your fingers to make a pretty edge and squish together any odd uneven areas or repairs. The top crust can be squished into the excess of the bottom crust all around the edge, so you can kind of fuss with it and line up areas where one side has too much and the other has too little. If you need to patch a big split, treat it a little like patching clay - use milk with a little flour beaten into it, score the areas of crust that will be touching with a fork, apply the milk flour glue on both scores surfaces, press to combine.
You might be overworking your crust - err on the side of underworking it, so if you need to go in and do a lot of adjustments and fiddling, you can. When playing with the crust and making it look pretty, have cold, floured fingers.
Check that your oven rack is at the right height. The sugar in fruit pies in particular can burn so easily and they are often single crust pies so you can do a lower rack to allow the bottom crust to properly cook without the filling burning. Different things for different pies.
I always use the kind of rolling pin that is a tapered stick, not the heavy annoying kind with handles and ball bearings. It allows me so much more control. You might have a strong preference too.
posted by Mizu at 12:07 PM on June 16 [2 favorites]
Yeah, I hate to say it, but mastering pie crust is all about repetition until you can go by feel. You'll have to make a lot of pies and endure a lot of wonky crusts, but it will come. I started with an all-shortening mealy crust, because I think that's easiest to perfect (just flour, a little salt, shortening, and water) and the temperature is less important. You can just smush the shortening into the flour until it comes together like breadcrumbs, then add just enough water to be able to roll it out. Learning how that texture feels will help you later. You can experiment with this type of crust by using different flour mixtures (I like half white whole wheat, half all-purpose) and fat mixtures (a little bacon grease is tasty!).
When you feel confident with that stage you can go to the flakier, more buttery crusts. Get a recipe that goes by grams and have a good digital scale. You can grate up a bunch of butter and keep it in the freezer (when you get experienced enough to go by feel, it's generally okay just to grate the butter straight out of the fridge). It's challenging to add just enough water to hold everything together and squeeze the cold fat and flour together into a shaggy ball without overworking it! A good flaky crust is not going to make a homogenous ball like a mealy crust will, so you'll have to relearn everything. But the process of learning the first will help you learn the second. A little bit of water will help the pieces that fall off stick back on.
Most of the pies I like to make tend toward being too juicy, so I mostly do lattice tops, which is a whole other set of practice to shape so you can cut enough strips and layer them in the right order, but it does look impressive! When you're confident enough that you won't be wasting the butter, there's nothing better than making brown butter, freezing it, and shredding it for pie crust.
Try all the different tricks and tips people give you, but there's no magic bullet: everyone who gets good at it has to practice a lot to get there. But once you get to the point where you can do it by feel, you won't even need a recipe anymore and you can improvise as necessary. We took a family trip to Ireland and there was rhubarb at the market, so I couldn't NOT make a pie. Everything was metric (my son did the F to C conversion for the oven), there wasn't a real pie pan or rolling pin (I used a skillet and a wine bottle), but my hands knew what to do and it turned out great!
posted by rikschell at 12:10 PM on June 16 [4 favorites]
When you feel confident with that stage you can go to the flakier, more buttery crusts. Get a recipe that goes by grams and have a good digital scale. You can grate up a bunch of butter and keep it in the freezer (when you get experienced enough to go by feel, it's generally okay just to grate the butter straight out of the fridge). It's challenging to add just enough water to hold everything together and squeeze the cold fat and flour together into a shaggy ball without overworking it! A good flaky crust is not going to make a homogenous ball like a mealy crust will, so you'll have to relearn everything. But the process of learning the first will help you learn the second. A little bit of water will help the pieces that fall off stick back on.
Most of the pies I like to make tend toward being too juicy, so I mostly do lattice tops, which is a whole other set of practice to shape so you can cut enough strips and layer them in the right order, but it does look impressive! When you're confident enough that you won't be wasting the butter, there's nothing better than making brown butter, freezing it, and shredding it for pie crust.
Try all the different tricks and tips people give you, but there's no magic bullet: everyone who gets good at it has to practice a lot to get there. But once you get to the point where you can do it by feel, you won't even need a recipe anymore and you can improvise as necessary. We took a family trip to Ireland and there was rhubarb at the market, so I couldn't NOT make a pie. Everything was metric (my son did the F to C conversion for the oven), there wasn't a real pie pan or rolling pin (I used a skillet and a wine bottle), but my hands knew what to do and it turned out great!
posted by rikschell at 12:10 PM on June 16 [4 favorites]
I too am curious about your pie pan. I have several but the best are the ones with a generous rim. You fold the crust over that and trim the excess away. That should keep your sides up. If you are using a deep dish pan with no rim, you’re doing it on hard mode!
The hack, as rikschell just pointed out, is a lattice crust. That always looks good and it’s super easy. My other secret weapon for the splitting pie crust is a cookie cutter. Roll out your excess pie crust and cut shapes out. Then stick them on top with an egg wash. Or just cut the shapes out of the top crust, then put the shapes back on but slightly off the opening, that looks very elegant and unexpected, plus vents the crust.
posted by mygothlaundry at 1:09 PM on June 16 [1 favorite]
The hack, as rikschell just pointed out, is a lattice crust. That always looks good and it’s super easy. My other secret weapon for the splitting pie crust is a cookie cutter. Roll out your excess pie crust and cut shapes out. Then stick them on top with an egg wash. Or just cut the shapes out of the top crust, then put the shapes back on but slightly off the opening, that looks very elegant and unexpected, plus vents the crust.
posted by mygothlaundry at 1:09 PM on June 16 [1 favorite]
I came back to add that the failure mode of an overworked crust is that it is hard to cut with a fork and that isn’t very nice. That is a Perfect vs Good distinction. That’s all. You will make a lot of pies to get your senses dialed in, and I encourage you to Stop Caring about overworked dough for at least one - it’s possible some of your trouble with rolling out is that you don’t actually have enough dough development. . Don't knead it for 10 minutes or use a mixer or anything extreme, but there is no need to be ruled by fear.
posted by janell at 2:04 PM on June 16 [1 favorite]
posted by janell at 2:04 PM on June 16 [1 favorite]
For baking a single crust, I use a fork to prick the unbaked and shaped dough which reduces shrinkage for that variation of crust.
For splitting during rolling or placement in a pie pan, I patch it with another piece of raw crust, using a couple drops of water as glue. If you’re still rolling, roll it into place.
posted by childofTethys at 2:38 PM on June 16
For splitting during rolling or placement in a pie pan, I patch it with another piece of raw crust, using a couple drops of water as glue. If you’re still rolling, roll it into place.
posted by childofTethys at 2:38 PM on June 16
Response by poster: I have several but the best are the ones with a generous rim
I have a 9" glass pie pan that I own, and anything else (like for a different size) I've have to borrow. But I can buy a new pan. When you say it has a generous rim, what do you mean? The sides are high, or are they flat? It sounds like one of the things I might want to try is a shallower pan that has a flat rim?
What material is your favorite pie pan?
posted by Kutsuwamushi at 2:39 PM on June 16
I have a 9" glass pie pan that I own, and anything else (like for a different size) I've have to borrow. But I can buy a new pan. When you say it has a generous rim, what do you mean? The sides are high, or are they flat? It sounds like one of the things I might want to try is a shallower pan that has a flat rim?
What material is your favorite pie pan?
posted by Kutsuwamushi at 2:39 PM on June 16
Not a recommendation but this pan from King Arthur has a wide rim for better crimping.
Pies are my only baking and all the tips above about how much water to add depends on the weather, don't use a food processor or mixer, that the butter might be bigger than a pea, etc is all good advice.
posted by fiercekitten at 2:57 PM on June 16
Pies are my only baking and all the tips above about how much water to add depends on the weather, don't use a food processor or mixer, that the butter might be bigger than a pea, etc is all good advice.
posted by fiercekitten at 2:57 PM on June 16
I leave a lot of overhang, and fold it under the edge, then make the raised ridge; this is pretty sturdy. and I bought a set of tiny cookie-type cutters. I can use them for star shapes to decorate the top crust/ make steam vents, so fancy. For pumpkin pie, little pastry leaves on top look nice. i use store-bought crust because time & energy are limited resources.
posted by theora55 at 7:17 PM on June 16
posted by theora55 at 7:17 PM on June 16
For blind baking a bottom crust, what has worked well for me is to use not beans or pie weights but a few pounds of sugar poured right into the foil covering the crust. I suppose the pressure on the sides (all the way up to the top) is more consistent and uniform against the entire crust. The sugar doesn’t melt, but some of it may caramelize a little — and that’s another advantage. Use it in your pie filling or your coffee… just be careful getting the hot sugar / foil off of the crust after taking it out of the oven. (Let it cool a bit first.)
posted by sesquipedalia at 9:43 PM on June 16
posted by sesquipedalia at 9:43 PM on June 16
Is your recipe intended for a glass pie pan?
I've found that the material can really make a difference. (In my case it was brownies in a ceramic dish versus a metal tin - the former never cooked properly.)
posted by demi-octopus at 3:23 AM on June 17
I've found that the material can really make a difference. (In my case it was brownies in a ceramic dish versus a metal tin - the former never cooked properly.)
posted by demi-octopus at 3:23 AM on June 17
You might also get some mileage out of doing the blind-baking *before* you trim the crust edges.
You can bake with the extra still hanging off the sides, which will give you plenty of extra crust if it shrinks or slumps, and then when the pie comes out of the oven after blind-baking, you can trim the excess with a knife or a rolling pin.
posted by yellowcandy at 6:54 AM on June 17
You can bake with the extra still hanging off the sides, which will give you plenty of extra crust if it shrinks or slumps, and then when the pie comes out of the oven after blind-baking, you can trim the excess with a knife or a rolling pin.
posted by yellowcandy at 6:54 AM on June 17
Yes, that photo fiercekitten linked is correct. You need a pan that looks like that, instead of one that is just straight up and down. I have a straight up and down one that I use for some savory pies, or like chili pie or something like that with a frito crust or crumb crust, but dessert pies need a rim. I like a pyrex dish, myself, and I really like the pretty ceramic one I found at goodwill but honestly I think the pyrex bakes better.
posted by mygothlaundry at 2:09 PM on June 17
posted by mygothlaundry at 2:09 PM on June 17
Pyrex all the way. Here is one very similar to the set of three I have. When I’m not baking pies in them they are perfect for a double breading setup - one with flour, one with eggs, another flour or crumb. So I use them all the time.
posted by Mizu at 4:28 PM on June 17
posted by Mizu at 4:28 PM on June 17
A couple of things here: first, lamination was already mentioned, but I want to reiterate that it’s amazing for making a crust more easily workable. You can use a recipe that calls for it, or just kind of do it to any recipe: combine it to where it just barely holds together; roll out to about a half inch thick; fold over in thirds like a letter; roll it out again and fold it again; and then refrigerate until you’re actually making the pie.
And the other thing I didn’t see anyone mention unless I missed it is letting the crust relax between rolling it out and baking. Gluten stretches, and it will snap back if you bake immediately after rolling; that might be why your crusts are slumping. Just roll and put in the pan, and then refrigerate for a half hour with plastic wrap over it before baking.
posted by LizardBreath at 6:04 AM on June 18 [2 favorites]
And the other thing I didn’t see anyone mention unless I missed it is letting the crust relax between rolling it out and baking. Gluten stretches, and it will snap back if you bake immediately after rolling; that might be why your crusts are slumping. Just roll and put in the pan, and then refrigerate for a half hour with plastic wrap over it before baking.
posted by LizardBreath at 6:04 AM on June 18 [2 favorites]
Response by poster: This is an old thread but I thought I'd come back and report on my pie progress in case anyone else is reading these suggestions:
I made another pie with the same recipe for pie dough, but increased it by 50% so I could cut off split edges. I also borrowed a shallower pie pan with a flat rim from my mom. No slumping this time! I overworked the dough a little, I think, but it wasn't as bad as I feared so I feel like I'm on the right track.
posted by Kutsuwamushi at 7:46 AM on July 13 [2 favorites]
I made another pie with the same recipe for pie dough, but increased it by 50% so I could cut off split edges. I also borrowed a shallower pie pan with a flat rim from my mom. No slumping this time! I overworked the dough a little, I think, but it wasn't as bad as I feared so I feel like I'm on the right track.
posted by Kutsuwamushi at 7:46 AM on July 13 [2 favorites]
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