Pies Archives (2024)

FAQs

Should I blind bake my apple pie crust? ›

The key is to avoid the typical apple pie pitfalls — a soggy crust and waterlogged filling — by blind baking the crust and boiling down the juices before filling the pie. These steps add a bit of extra time but ensure a crisp and flaky crust and a cider-flavored filling that's not the least bit watery.

If you want the pie to slice cleanly, without oozing filling, allow it to cool completely before serving; this will take at least a couple of hours.

Any number of things can contribute to a slumping crust. Maybe your recipe uses an extra-high amount of shortening or butter, or you rolled the crust too vigorously, or you didn't let it rest and chill before baking. Perhaps you used the wrong size pan, or not enough filling.

Pies should have generous, well distributed fruit as well as, good color and definition. Crust & Filling: The judges will evaluate two primary components of a pie – individually and then as a combined entity. These two components are the crust and the filling.

No hands may be used. Contestants must place their hands behind their backs while eating the pie. Contestants must not touch / eat any pie until the start signal is given. The first person to finish his/her pie will throw their hands in the air to end the contest and be declared the winner.

You do not need to pre-bake a pie crust for an apple pie or any baked fruit pie really, but we do freeze the dough to help it stay put. Pre-baking the pie crust is only required when making a custard pie OR when making a fresh fruit pie. you should probably get: Pie weights are super helpful to have for pre-baking.

Crust dust is a 1:1 mixture of flour and granulated sugar. When baking a pie, especially a fruit pie, a couple of teaspoons of crust dust sprinkled into the bottom of the crust will help prevent the crust from becoming saturated with juicy filling as it bakes.

Choose the Right Rack in the Oven

Which rack you use in the oven can help ensure a crisp crust. Baking the pie on a lower rack will concentrate heat on the bottom of the pie and help the crust crisp.

A pie's place in the oven is on the bottom rack. The worst mistake you can make with your pie is under-baking the bottom crust—it makes for a soggy, doughy mess. Baking your pie on the bottom rack will ensure that bottom crust gets nice and golden brown. Speaking of which: bake your pie in a glass pie dish.

If a pie contains eggs or dairy products, it should be stored in the refrigerator and not left out at room temperature for more than two hours. Pies that do not contain dairy products, such as fruit pies can be stored, loosely covered at room temperature for up to two days.

Should pies be baked on a cookie sheet? ›

It's always a good idea to bake pies on a baking sheet.

If your recipe calls for a baked or par-baked pie crust, and you are using store-bought pie dough, you still need to par-bake it. For example, if using store-bought crust in this brownie pie recipe, you still need to follow the par-baking instructions in that recipe (which are the same instructions you find below).

Adding more flour is always an option, but add too much flour and your dough will end up like a cracker—not a pie crust. Remember: The more you mix your pie dough, the tougher it becomes. To keep the mixing to a minimum, try rolling out your dough between two pieces of parchment paper.

Mealy pie dough is best for using for pies that have a liquid or custard filling like pumpkin, or apple pie filling because it won't get soggy. The pieces of fat in the flour are very small, making the fat distribution denser which repels liquids.

Push your face into the pie when the event begins and keep it in there. Turn your head side to side to and breathe, rather than wasting time by sitting up and going back and forth to the pie plate. Step 5: Pace yourself Keep a steady pace that you can maintain for the duration of the contest. Don't rush.

Contest participants will bring their best homemade pie and present it to a panel of judges for evaluation. The criteria for judging includes overall appearance, crust, filling, flavor/taste.

The pie bake-off is open to all bakers. There will be two categories for judging: fruit and nonfruit pies, as well as a youth category. Pies will be assessed based on appearance, crust, filling, and overall flavor and taste. Don't have baking skills?

Pie eating contests for adults and kids

The pie eating contest involves eating an apple pie in a 10-minute time limit, with no hands allowed. Adult contestants are required to hold their hands behind their backs and eat a 9” pie, and the kids will eat a smaller, 6” pie.