Flavor Zest or Herbal Cakes to Take Your Dessert to the Next Level
When you’re baking a pie crust, most people care about texture, not taste, but a few simple add-ons can elevate your crust game to super tasty heights.
The key to flavoring your pie crusts is choosing additives that complement the filling rather than spoil it. Dry spices, herbs, and citrus zest are all good options, but you should avoid a lot of liquid as this can greatly affect the texture of your rind. When it comes to flavor combinations, Bon Appetit has a range (click the link below to see the full list), but my personal favorites include:
- 1 tsp poppy + 1 tsp thyme leaves in a crust, then add the lemon meringue filling
- ¼ tsp ground allspice + ½ tsp. orange blossom water in a crust, then add pumpkin or sweet potato filling
Aside from just being delicious, it’s a great way to balance out super-sweet toppings. In addition to the great combinations suggested below, I think a ginger and cardamom flavored peach pie (maybe with a little pepper?) Would be a little slice of heaven.
Why it is worth flavoring a pie with a crust | Bon appetit