Whether the holidays are fast approaching or you just love throwing a big party, a few pie baking tips and tricks can help make everything go more smoothly. I’ve put together a guide which touches on organizing your baking, different types of crusts, general tips, and the finishing touches which make everything a bit more special.
Pie How to Guide
Now that you have some recipes to try from my Must Have Thanksgiving Pie post, it’s time to work on the details.
Details like how many pies do you need? What is the best crust recipe? How about gluten-free? And how do you make those fancy crust designs? These questions are great for people starting out in the journey of making pies but even veteran bakers can learn a thing or two.
Maybe you want to practice your decorating skills or want make-ahead tips. Or you have some gluten-free friends or family coming over and need a pie dough they can have. I’ve tried to cover as many pie related questions/answers as possible. If there is anything else you’ve been wondering about, send me a comment and either I’ll know and answer or I’ll direct you to a resource that does know.
One note: Since these guides and resources are coming from all over, you may see info that contradicts what someone else says and that is all to personal preference. Everyone is going to have certain parts of pie baking which they find super important and other parts less. Weigh all advice based on what you find important!
Getting Organized
The first part of Thanksgiving and other holiday baking is knowing what you can do ahead and knowing how much you’re going to need. You don’t want to spend days making five pies and then realize you only needed two. And knowing what you can freeze ahead of time can sometimes make all the difference in getting everything done!
Before I get to the links, I would like to note that we always make our pies 1-2 days ahead of time. Fruit, chocolate, pumpkin/sweet potato – these all keep well overnight. Simply cool the pie completely, then wrap it well, and keep it in a cold place. (For us it’s a safe storage space in our cold New England garage.)
All About Crust
An important part of pie baking is the crust! Here I have some tips on working with crust, what to do if you need to bake the crust in advance, and variations on types of crusts to make.
Blind Baking
Any time you have a pie with an uncooked filling (such as chocolate mousse or fresh blueberry), you will need to bake the crust separately. How to do this easily and without having a your crust slump and shrink? Here are a few links to help!
Note: I tend to go with foil lining, one temperature the whole time (350F), and a few bags worth of dried beans (which I use over and over) filling the shell.
Advice on working with crust
Here are some ideas and tips on improving your pastry techniques.
Types of crust
There are many types of crusts to make! From my super easy flaky crust (the first link below), to tart doughs, gluten-free crusts in various forms, and graham cracker crusts there is a crust for any pie you wish to make.
General Pie Baking Tips
Now that you know how many pies to make and have all the crust tips and recipes you need, here are some general tips about pies.
Decorative Crust Techniques
Envious of pinterest and instagram pies? Here are some links to help you elevate your decorating and make all the fancy pies you desire. Just know that, fancy or not, everyone is going to love a tasty pie.
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