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pie crust question

16 years ago

I just finished baking two pumpkin pies using lard crust,baked on the bottom shelf according to the recipe. Should the crust be baked all the way through-crispy cruchy all the way through or is it typical for a custard pie to have a soft crust just below the filling? The pie crust today had a crisp outer crust but the inner layers were not baked enough to be crisp.

I've been baking for a long long time and am still trying to that perfect pie crust. What should the crust be like for a baked crustard pie. Thanks for any help.

Bruce W

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Comments (6)

lindac
16 years ago
You will never get a crisp crust on the bottom of a "wet" pie. The only way to get that is to blind bake the crust and bake the filling in a separate pan and slip it into the crust after the filling has cooked....risky at best, but you will have a crisp bottom crust.
As long as your crust was tender and flavorfull....that's good.
Linda C
bwehner
Original Author
16 years ago
Thanks for the info,I thought I was doing something wrong. The crust was good along with the filling.
Bruce W
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Hi Kids, Thanks for all of your input. Chi83, excellent idea! ALL in the name of research, of course. I am interested in some of the suggestions and think that I will try most of them. I have been using the ready made Pillsbury crust for several years and while they are fine for regular pies, I feel the need to put extra effort into these. I find them to be a bit tough with not a lot of flavor but very easy. They have also resulted in my family enjoying more pies than they would have otherwise. I have used them for almost every pie I have ade for a number of years, since they were sold in the square box, folded in 1/4s, I want to try somthing a bit more special. I remember making crusts that had great flavor are were flaky and yummy. That is what I am going for. I have an old standby that called for an egg and vinegar that I could go back to but I think I will try one of the lard & vodka combos first. I will have my own *test kitchen*...all in the name of research, of course. So, thanks, Kids. You have given me some good direction. Thank you all for your help. sooey
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lucyny
16 years ago
Bruce,
I blind bake my pie crust for pumpkin pies all the time. I also precook the filling as stated below, works like a charm... don't remember where I came across the recipe, as it's been years that I've been making it this way. The ingredients are very similar to Libby's Famous Pumpkin Pie recipe, but the procedure is different, which I prefer..

Pumpkin Pie (1) 9"pie

Prepare blinded baked 9" pie shell.

Â· 2 cups evaporated milk
Â· 1 - 15 oz. can pumpkin
Â· 3/4 cup sugar
Â· 1/2 tsp. salt
Â· 1/4 tsp. ginger
Â· 2 tbsp. cornstarch
Â· 1 tsp. cinnamon
Â· 1/2 tsp. nutmeg
Â· 1/4 tsp. cloves
Â· 2 egg yokes
Â· Whipped cream

In a large pot, place all the ingredients together-- except egg yokes -- & bring to slight boil all the until thick, approximately 15 minutes, stirring so no lumps will form. In a small bowl, temper the egg yolks, pour a little of the hot liquid over the egg yokes & mix well, then add to the hot mixture. Pour pumpkin mixture into a blind baked pie shell & bake for 15 min at 350. Cool and top with whipped cream

Lucy
caflowerluver
16 years ago
I have also heard of pre-baking the crust about 10 minutes after lining with scrunched foil and pressing it against the sides. Supposedly it is enough to keep the sides from falling. Then right after it comes out from the oven brush with egg white. The heat will cook the egg whites and seal the crust so no more soggy crust. Then just add the filling and bake like usual. I heard about this years ago and keep meaning to try it, but keep forgetting.
Clare
wizardnm
16 years ago
I've done the egg white trick and it works. I also think using a glass pie plate helps also.

I'm getting a craving for buttermilk pie now.....

Nancy
azzalea
16 years ago
I was going to suggest a pyrex pie pan, baked on the lowest shelf of the oven--I usually have pretty good luck with getting my bottom crusts fairly crisp that way (although they'll never be as crisp as pie crust baked by itself), even with something like pumpkin pie.

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