Whether it is any special occasion or not, pies are always welcome and a tempting dish for all age groups. Therefore, it is essential that you know how to make a perfect pie. People often make mistakes while making the pies because they use short-cuts, inappropriate ingredients and methods. Whether you want to make a sweet pie for dessert or meat pie for meals, it is important that you make it perfect. If you have any confusion regarding how to make a pie perfectly, you need to follow some guidelines. Here are some easy tips to make the best pies.
It is advisable to keep the ingredients in the refrigerator so that they can remain cold when you are making the pie. Melted butter or solid vegetables might not give you the taste you need. It is a common mistake that people often make while making a pie, but you should avoid it.
It is also essential to wrap and chill the dough immediately after mixing. It will allow the flour to absorb all the moisture. Keep it into the refrigerator after rolling it out and placing it on the pie pan. It will prevent the dough from shrinking inside the oven.
Another common mistake that people make is handling the dough more than it requires. As a result, it gets damaged, and ultimately, the pie doesn't look good. Therefore, instead of re-rolling the crust, only try to patch cracks in the dough.
Most pie recipes require a high initial temperature and, after that, a reduced temperature in the oven for the rest of the baking. For custard pies, quiches and cream pies, it is an excellent idea to pre-bake the crust or "blind baking" the crust.
When you are making Double-Crust Pies, it is important to create a vent. So, use decorative cutters or cut slits in the top crust. It will allow the steam to escape, which is important for fruits that have high moisture content. Also, you can create a lattice top for the pie.
Fruit pies need to be hot enough so that the filling in them can boil. On the other hand, custard pies require delicate handling because if you over-bake them, they can pull away from the crust, lose moisture and get cracked. To check such pies, insert a knife an inch from the centre, and it should come out clean.
The filling inside the pie needs some time to set. Otherwise, the pie will be runny and serving such pie will be a disaster. It is advisable to bake your pies well in advance before the meal so that the filling gets time to set. A warm pie can be very difficult for slicing.
Making delicious pies are not easy, but you can learn it under the guidance of experts. Follow the tips mentioned above when you will make any pie the next time. If you need proper guidance, then contact professionals who offer such classes in Hobart and other nearby places in Tasmania.