“My pies are delicious, but my crusts are not picture-worthy!”
Let’s solve that. We always have more to bake than time, so we do quick and easy. But they still have to be cute. We’ll show you what we do-with images and a video.
And include a pie recipe for a very good white chocolate pie.
How to Make Your Pie Crust Pretty in 3 Easy Steps
See a video on making your pie crusts pretty
A good crust is not necessarily a pretty crust. Here’s how to make it pretty.
Sprinkle a little flour on the counter and roll out the dough until it is a little thinner than 1/4 inch thick. You may need to sprinkle a little flour on the rolling pin.
Transfer the dough to the pie pan. Trim the edges using a sharp knife or a bench scraper.
Make the edges pretty. It’s easier to show you than to tell. Once you’ve done it. It’s simple.
You’re done. If you need a pre-baked crust, fill the crust with ceramic pie weights or a pie chain weight and bake. If not, load it with a filling. Sometimes, you’ll need a top crust. Add it, trim it, and flute it in the same way. (Make sure you press the bottom and top dough sheets together with a fork before forming the edge so it doesn’t leak.) Cut vent holes and bake.
You’ve still got to bake your pie.
There are two faults with baked pie crusts: The top edges can burn and the bottom can be soggy, under-baked. You can solve both those problems with equipment.
Use dark pie pans. Dark pie pans absorb and distribute the heat. Your bottom crust will be browned and crisp. (These are pretty amazing pans. You can slide your pie out of the pan and onto a plate for cutting and serving.)
Cover the top edge of the pie with a pie shield. Those top edges take a beating in the oven. By the time the bottom crust is baked, the top is burned. A pie shield stops that. Use one every time you put a pie in the oven, you’re ready to go! Grab some recipes and start making some easy pies. Once you’ve made a couple pies, they’ll be as easy as peanut butter sandwiches-almost. You’ll be the designated pie baker at family reunions, church socials, and with friends. No more expensive trips to the bake shop.
White Chocolate French Silk Pie Recipe
We made this pie last summer when peaches were at their best. We’ve also made it with mangos and strawberries. That makes it a year-round pie. Consider a strawberry white chocolate pie for valentines and in the spring.
A French silk pie is usually made with dark chocolate; this one uses white chocolate. They are usually made with raw eggs. In this recipe, they are cooked.
Ingredients:
1 nine-inch deep dish pie shell, baked and cooled
3 large eggs
2/3 cup granulated sugar
1 quarter-ounce packet non-flavored gelatin
1 tablespoons water
10 ounces white chocolate wafers or other quality coating or eating chocolate
1/2 cup butter cut into pieces and softened
1 cup whipping cream
1 teaspoon vanilla flavor
1 cup whipping cream
1/2 teaspoon vanilla flavor
1/3 cup granulated sugar
2 cups fresh peaches peeled and diced
peaches for garnish and topping
Directions:
Mix the sugar and gelatin powder together. Add the eggs, sugar mixture, and water to a large sauce pan. Cook the egg and sugar mixture over low to medium low heat while beating constantly with an electric mixture. Continue cooking and beating until the mixture starts to thicken and reaches 165 degrees being careful not to scorch the eggs. Remove from heat.
Immediately mix the butter into the hot egg mixture with the electric mixer until smooth. As soon as the butter is melted and while the mixture is still hot, add the white chocolate wafers. Continue beating until it is completely mixed together and cooled to room temperature.
Whip the first measure of whipping cream in your stand-type mixer with the whip attachment until stiff peaks form. Add the vanilla flavor. Add the peaches.
Change from the whip attachment to the paddle attachment. Scrape the white chocolate mixture into the bowl with the whipped cream. Turn the mixer onto the slow speed setting and gently fold the chocolate mixture into the whipped cream. Mix for less than a minute, until the white chocolate is mixed into the whipped cream. Scrape the filling into the prepared pie pan. Set aside and let chill.
When you are about ready to serve, whip the second measure of whipping cream.
As the cream is whipping and after the peaks start to form, drizzle in the sugar and add the flavor. Beat until stiff peaks form. Top your pie with peaches and whipped cream.
Dennis Weaver has burnt food from Point Barrow, Alaska, to Miami, Florida. He is the founder of The Prepared Pantry in Rigby, Idaho and the author of How to Bake: The Art and Science of Baking, available free in an e-book or as a Kindle book on Amazon for $10.
He loves to help people bake and is giving away Free Kitchen Library sets with 30 e-books and over 1500 pages of content like this-a $150 value. There is no cost or obligation. You get five books immediately and one per week for 25 weeks. See how to get your free kitchen library.
Dennis lives in Rigby, Idaho, with his wife, Merri Ann. They have five wonderful children.