Post by momtaylor on Sept 29, 2003 11:42:14 GMT -6
Pie making tips
Try brushing the bottom crust of fruit pies with eggwhites to prevent the fruit juices from soaking in.
To keep a pie crust from becoming soft and soggy during baking, try warming the pan before placing the the bottom crust in it.
If you want an extra flaky pie crust, try substituting ice-cold sour cream or whipping cream for the water. Works great but it adds fats and cholesterol.
For the highest meringue, the secret is to add some baking powder to room temperature egg whites before beating them. As you beat the eggs, add 2-3 T. of granulated sugar for each egg used, beating continually. Perfect peaks should form and stand upright without keeling over.
To eliminate weeping meringue, try leaving the meringue in the oven until it cools. Turn the oven off before it's finished.
When baking acidic fruit pies such as cherry or apple it is best to use ceramic or glass pie pans to avoid the pies turning gray from a reaction with the metal.
Chill the dough before working it into the pie tin. The cold firms up the fat and will relax the gluten in the flour so that it will hold its shape better. A relaxed crust is a happy crust.
When measuring flour for a pie crust, always sift the flour first for a more accurate measurement.
Pie crusts will turn out better if all of the ingredients start out cold and the dough isn't overworked. The dough should also be refrigerated before it is rolled out.
To keep the juice of a fruit pie inside the crust when baking, try adding a tablespoon of tapioca before baking. It helps to thicken the mixture.
When using a cream filling in a pie, coat the crust with a granulated sugar before adding the cream filling. This will eliminate the soggy crust.
For a real treat when making a pumpkin pie, place a layer of marshmallows on the bottom of the pie shell before filling. The marshmallows will rise to the top and form a great topping.
Try brushing the bottom crust of fruit pies with eggwhites to prevent the fruit juices from soaking in.
To keep a pie crust from becoming soft and soggy during baking, try warming the pan before placing the the bottom crust in it.
If you want an extra flaky pie crust, try substituting ice-cold sour cream or whipping cream for the water. Works great but it adds fats and cholesterol.
For the highest meringue, the secret is to add some baking powder to room temperature egg whites before beating them. As you beat the eggs, add 2-3 T. of granulated sugar for each egg used, beating continually. Perfect peaks should form and stand upright without keeling over.
To eliminate weeping meringue, try leaving the meringue in the oven until it cools. Turn the oven off before it's finished.
When baking acidic fruit pies such as cherry or apple it is best to use ceramic or glass pie pans to avoid the pies turning gray from a reaction with the metal.
Chill the dough before working it into the pie tin. The cold firms up the fat and will relax the gluten in the flour so that it will hold its shape better. A relaxed crust is a happy crust.
When measuring flour for a pie crust, always sift the flour first for a more accurate measurement.
Pie crusts will turn out better if all of the ingredients start out cold and the dough isn't overworked. The dough should also be refrigerated before it is rolled out.
To keep the juice of a fruit pie inside the crust when baking, try adding a tablespoon of tapioca before baking. It helps to thicken the mixture.
When using a cream filling in a pie, coat the crust with a granulated sugar before adding the cream filling. This will eliminate the soggy crust.
For a real treat when making a pumpkin pie, place a layer of marshmallows on the bottom of the pie shell before filling. The marshmallows will rise to the top and form a great topping.