Pie Crusts & Pastry: Baking Tips

Baking Homemade Pies

Everyone wants to make that perfect “melt-in-your-mouth” pastry that the family will brag about. Follow these simple but important rules and a light, tender pastry will result.

Tips For Making Pie Crusts & Pastry

• Have all ingredients as cold as possible.
• Measure accurately.
• Handle mixture lightly and carefully.
• Use just enough water to bind mixture.
• Bake at correct temperature.

Good Pastry has a blistery, pebbled surface that promises flakiness. It is tender, easily cut with a fork, but not crumbly. The color is golden brown, with a slightly richer brown at the edges. It is always rolled fairly thin so that the entire crust (bottom as well as rim) will be crisp and fragile.

Kinds of Pastry

Pastry may be divided into two general classes:

• Pastry–used for pies, tarts, etc.
• Puff Pastry–used for patty shells, fancy pastries, etc.

To Bake Pastry

Baking makes pastry flaky and tender and develops a rich golden brown color all over. Bake it at a high temperature to cook the pastry quickly so that the particles of fat surrounded by layers of dough will be melted quickly without mixing into the dough. A low temperature produces an oily and crumbly crust. If a filling is used, the temperature is reduced after first 10 minutes of baking so that filling may cook without burning the pastry.

To Bake Puff Pastry

The oven should be hot enough to make the pastry rise quickly. Layers of cold air have been incorporated into the crust and the heat of the oven is necessary to expand this cold air quickly, thus making the crust light. When pastry is fully risen, the temperature is reduced for the remainder of the baking time. If the oven is too hot the top of the pastry will become scorched before the pastry has risen to its full height; if it is not hot enough, the pastry will become heavy and sodden.

Temperature Guide For Baking Pastry

• Double Crust Fruit Pies: Bake in a hot oven (450°F.) for 10 minutes, then lower heat to 350°F. for remaining time, until filling is cooked.
• Pie Shell Filled With An Uncooked Filling: Unbaked pie shells filled with mixtures of milk and eggs (custard and pumpkin pies) should be baked in a hot oven (450°F.) for 10 minutes, then in a moderate oven (325°F.) for remaining time.
• Baked Single Pie Shell or Tart Shells: Bake in a hot oven (450°F.) 10 to 12 minutes or until pastry is golden brown.
• Puff Pastry: Bake in a very hot oven (450°F. to 500°F.) for 10 minute or until pastry has risen to full height. Then lower heat to 350°F. for remaining time.

Causes of Pastry Shrinking In Pan

• Too much handling
• Pastry stretched tightly in pan
• Dough stored too long in refrigerator
• Too slow an oven
• Unbalanced recipe

Source: A Guide To Good Cooking (Five Roses)

For more pie making tips, see Fresh Fruit Pies: Kitchen Cheat Sheet and these Vintage Pie Making Tips.

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