Einkorn Pie Crust & Pumpkin Pie Recipe (2024)

FAQs

Do you need to prebake pie crust for pumpkin pie? ›

Think of it this way: poor pie dough wouldn't stand a chance (aka be a soggy mess) with a custard filling if we don't give it a head start. Hence why we pre-bake, because custard pies are too delicious to have soggy bottoms. Custard pies = pumpkin pies. Chocolate cream pies.

Often, blind-baking solves this problem. If you're making a single crust custard-filled pie, like a pumpkin pie, bake the pie dough first before adding filling to allow some of the moisture in the crust to evaporate. You can also totally blind-bake fruit pies.

Our Classic Pumpkin Pie Recipe at a Glance

This recipe calls for a blind baked, flaky pie crust. However, you can use store-bought frozen pie crust in a pinch. Don't forget to crimp your pie crust! The pie bakes for 50 to 60 minutes at 375°F.

Flour: For a tender crust, choose a low-protein flour. Pastry flour, with a protein content of about 8-10%, ranks between all-purpose flour and cake flour. All-purpose flour works just fine for pie crusts, while cake flour might lack enough protein to form a workable, elastic dough.

Some recipes like quiches recommend partially cooked pie shells because the baking time wouldn't be long enough to fully cook the dough otherwise. Pre-baking a crust can ensure that your pie or tart crust will be fully baked and browned, and not soggy.

Line the crust with foil, parchment, or a paper coffee filter. Fill it about two-thirds full with dried beans, uncooked rice (or other uncooked grain berries), pie weights, or granulated sugar. Bake the crust in a preheated 375°F oven for 20 minutes, set on a baking stone or steel if you have one.

If you are making a pie where the filling bakes with the crust, like a fruit pie, then no, do not poke holes, as the liquid filling will leak and you won't get a properly baked crust. How do you crimp your pie crust after blind baking the bottom crust? The raw top crust just would not meld to the baked edges.

Lay a shield atop the pie crust, or cover with tin foil. Then bake it, and let it cool before filling it.

Poking holes allows steam to escape

If you've ever forgotten to poke the bottom of the crust, you may have noticed that your pie came out looking uneven. The reason for this, as The Spruce Eats explains, is that unless you create a place for the steam to escape, it'll get trapped within the dough.

Cold butter is the key to flaky crusts. Do not skip this step. You must put your butter in the freezer to get it nice and cold. Many people do not like working with frozen butter, but it makes all the difference in the world when you create your pie dough.

What pies need prebaked crust? ›

Blind Baked pie crusts: Blind baked pie crusts are a fully baked crust and are used for recipes which have a no-bake pie filling, such as a lemon meringue pie, chocolate cream pie, banoffee pie, or a french silk pie. You want to fully bake the crust, as it will not get another chance to crisp up.

Very often flour or cornstarch is used, but in certain instances tapioca, arrowroot and potato starch can also help achieve the desired consistency. Tapioca starch is preferable for products that will be frozen because it will not break down when thawed. We like tapioca in blueberry, cherry or peach pies.

Pie Filling Enhancer thickens fruit pie fillings the same way Instant ClearJel does. Its advantage is added ascorbic acid (which adds a bright, tart note), and superfine sugar, which prevents it from clumping. Pie Filling Enhancer is about half sugar, so you'll want to reduce the sugar in your recipe accordingly.

Cookies, pie crusts, pastries and breads: You can swap freely between bleached and unbleached flour depending on what you have on hand for treats like pies, cookies, eclairs, cream puffs, puff pastry, and yeast breads.

Pre-baking is a must if you're looking for a flaky pie crust. It's especially helpful for recipes with a wet center. Recipes for most tarts, pies, and quiches call for pre-baking to ensure that the final product doesn't end up soggy.

If the bottom crust doesn't set before the filling soaks in, it's going to be gummy. A metal pie pan placed on a preheated surface will set the bottom crust quickest; once cooked, the liquids from the filling above won't soak in, and as a result: no soggy bottom.

Store-bought pie crusts are great for someone just learning how to cook. Making your own pastry can be challenging for a beginner cook. For this Pumpkin Pie recipe, you can just purchase a ready-made pastry crust from your grocer's freezer. Do not defrost the pie crust.

Prebaking — baking the pie crust before adding the filling — is your answer. Bake your crust, add the filling, and bake until the filling is done. I promise you, the crust won't burn on the bottom; the filling will insulate it.