The Essential Guide To Baking

sprinkle with granulated sugar to make a pretty pie.

II. Use a cookie cutter to cut shapes from flat pastry dough and place them on pie tarts and

deep−dish pies. Wash and sugar the cut−outs, bake them separately ... then place on top of

filled tarts, etc..

III. Use a spray bottle filled with milk to spray wash your lattice top fruit pies.

IV. Cool cream pies completely before you place meringue on them. Hot cream filling may cause

the meringue to melt and later slide off the pie when it is cut.

V. Keep your knife from pulling at the meringue, by dipping the blade in water before cutting.

VI. Store fruit pies at room temperature. Cover with foil. Fruit pies freeze well. Freeze them

raw, don't thaw, just bake as usual (about 45 minutes to 1 hour).

VII. Freeze pre−baked pies: Wrap in foil and thaw by placing uncovered in a 350 degree oven

until the filling boils (about 20 minutes).

VIII. Store cream and whipped cream pies (covered) in the refrigerator. Meringue breaks down

fast, no matter where you store it, so meringue pies must be eaten quickly.

IX. Whipped cream pies will last longer when wrapped and refrigerated. However, freezing is

not recommended.

X. Brown meringue in a hot oven, about 425 degrees. Browning meringue at lower temperatures

may cause the top to form a thick crust.

A QUICK TOUR OF PIE CRUST FAULTS

EXTERNAL APPEARANCE

The crust is too light.

Causes may be:

Insufficient milk/sugar.

Oven temperature too low.

Dough too cold, combined with a low baking temperature.

Improper or no wash.

Baking time too short.

The crust is too dark.

Causes may be:

Excessive milk/sugar.

Oven temperature too high.

Improper wash.

Baking time too long.

INTERNAL APPEARANCE

Baking Pies