How to Make the Best Fruit Pie (No Soggy Bottom)
Homemade deep dish fruit pie is simply beautiful. It’s a great housewarming gift, an acceptable apology, and a good way to make friends. A healthy slice with a thick layer of cherry filling (or blueberry, peach, apple—hey, it all depends on your fruit love language) can make anyone wonder if they’re really “too full for dessert.”
That’s what makes the disappointment of slicing into a watery-bottomed fruit disaster all the more poignant. You won’t have to put the pie in the oven and wonder if it’s going to be fruit soup when you take it out. You deserve better. To make the best fresh (or frozen) fruit pie, you need to make the filling first.
Why do you need to prepare the fruit pie filling before baking?
Two recurring problems with pie recipes that use raw fruit filling are a soggy bottom crust and the formation of a giant air pocket between the fruit and the top crust. I almost always see this with apple pies made using the raw apple method. A sloppy bottom is the result of stagnant juices released from the fruit during baking and the use of too little thickening agent (usually cornstarch or flour mixture). Recipes usually take into account the average amount of fruit juice, but they cannot predict differences in types of fruit, frozen versus fresh, or whether your area has had a particularly rainy season. I’ve had pies that literally had fruit juice pooling on the bottom because I couldn’t predict how much thickener I’d need. It’s heartbreaking.
An air pocket in the top crust is another particular point of disappointment for your pie. Let’s say you fill a pie with a bunch of raw apples and lovingly cover them with a top crust. When your pie goes into the oven, the first thing to cook and set is the top crust, as it is the most exposed and comparatively thin. The apples will take longer to cook. As the cake bakes, the fruit cells break down and lose water. This results in the fruit being tenderly bitten, but also causing it to shrink. Meanwhile, the crust will maintain its shape even as the apples cook, fooling your guests into thinking it’s filled with fruit when it’s actually filled with air.
How to thicken fruit pie filling?
Pre-cooking your cherry, peach, or berry pie filling is the best way to ensure your pie is exactly what you wanted it to be, and also offers several other benefits. How thick the filling is is up to you; you can make this a few days in advance (several weeks if stored in the freezer); you can adjust the taste more precisely; and baking time is reduced.
1. Add fruit to the pan
Place desired amount of fruit in a large saucepan. Over medium heat, add two tablespoons of water and, if desired, a little sugar. Adding water may seem like an odd addition, but this small amount will eventually evaporate and, more importantly, keep the fruit on the bottom from burning while it heats up.
2. Add thickener.
Stir occasionally as the fruit continues to cook. After about five minutes, most of the fruit juice will be released and begin to bubble. Now you are ready to add the thickener. I usually use a cornstarch slurry consisting of two teaspoons of cornstarch mixed with a quarter cup of cold water. Depending on how much filling you are making, you may need more of this mixture. Slowly pour in the slurry, stirring the filling.
3. Try and adjust
After adding the thickener, bring it to a boil again. This will fully activate the starch and show you what it will look like when it comes out of the oven. You can decide if you like the consistency, but keep in mind that it will become a little firmer as it cools. If you want it to stand when you cut it, add more liquid. If you find it too thick, add water one tablespoon at a time until you are happy. Taste the filling carefully and decide if you want to add more sugar, a little lemon juice or some dry spices. Let it cool to room temperature.
This technique is required if you use frozen berries and fruits for the pie. Freezing and thawing can further damage the fruit’s cell walls, which is why you may see even more juice leaking from frozen blueberries compared to fresh blueberries.
There are no more unpredictable puddles of juice, and the filling has already shrunk, so there’s no danger of a giant air pocket forming. Your filling is perfect, no surprises. (Couple tip: If you think you’ll miss the flavor of barely cooked fruit, reserve a half cup of raw berries or fruit pieces and add them at the end for a fun texture.)
Don’t forget to adjust the baking time.
Feel free to cover and refrigerate it for up to five days, pop it in the freezer for up to six months, or use right away. When you ‘re ready, fill, prepare and bake the pie as usual, but : adjust the baking time. You can save about 20 minutes because the filling is already cooked, so you’re essentially heating it inside the crust. Once the crust is a nice brown color and you can see the filling bubbling slightly from the vents, you’re done! Let it cool and get ready to slice into the fruitiest cake of your life.