Three Tasty Tips to Improve Your Pie Crust
No one needs an “excuse” to eat the pie – the pie should be eaten freely and cheerfully whenever the desire arises – but today is Pi Day (Day) and we would be wasted if we weren’t celebrating.
People tend to worry about the crust rather than the filling, so we’ve rounded up three of our favorite tips to help make your taste special. My personal favorite is second because of this whole cookie story.
- Let it rest: Make an extra flaky crust by letting the dough cool in the refrigerator for at least half an hour before rolling out. This will give the fat time to harden again and allow moisture to be redistributed.
- Roll it in cookie crumbs: anyone can roll the crust in flour, but a genius will roll his own into a cookie. There really aren’t any rules here, but choose a flavor that complements your filling. (I like the pecan shortbread for the pecan pie, the ginger for the lemon meringue, and the oreo for the fresh strawberries.) Simply grind the cookies into powder in a food processor, sprinkle them on your work surface, and roll out the dough as usual.
- Keep it dry with bath salts : Don’t worry, I’m not suggesting you bake magnesium sulfate in a pie – because that would be crazy – but I suggest you use its hygroscopic properties to keep your crust crisp. Just take a box of unscented, edible Epsom salts and dry them in a 400-degree oven until it looks like a chalky white powder. Line the bottom of an airtight container with fresh anhydrous substance and place the pie (on a pie plate) right on top. The salt will absorb moisture from the air, keeping the crust in the top shape for as long as possible. (This also works with baked goods, just put a tea towel over the bath salt first.)
If you want to talk even more about pies, go to the Who ‘s Cooking page? , our new weekly forum where you can chat about all that delicious. (For obvious reasons, this week’s theme is pie.)