Study the right way to crimp and flute pie crust so you can also make stunning home made pies with picture-perfect edges that maintain the pie’s filling in place. Watch the video tutorial for a step-by-step information via the hows and whys of those two pie crust strategies, and see how simple it’s to provide your pies the proper crowning glory earlier than baking.
Crimp & Flute Pie Crust
This tutorial has been a very long time coming! I’ve what looks like an countless provide of pie recipes on my web site, with success ideas and movies, however I’ve by no means shared a selected tutorial nearly fluting and crimping these pie crust edges… a crucial step that helps make a stupendous sealed edge that gained’t fall aside or leak.
Whether or not you’re making a double-crust fruit pie like apple pie, cherry pie, strawberry rhubarb pie, caramel pear pie, peach pie, or blueberry pie; or a single-crust cream pie like pumpkin pie, banana cream pie, fudge brownie pie, coconut cream pie, lemon meringue pie, French silk pie, and even quiche, studying these simple crust-shaping strategies is crucial for baking a home made pie you’ll be proud to current.
In any case, making a pie from scratch is a labor of affection, and if you happen to’re taking the time to make a home made pie, you need it to look good. So don’t skip the ending touches—that might be like hanging a stupendous murals in a damaged image body!
However this step isn’t all about appears to be like, both; crimping or fluting the sides of the pie crust additionally helps to seal within the filling of your pie—we’re including each aptitude and operate right here!
Begin With a Nice Pie Crust Recipe
You should use these pie crust-shaping strategies together with your favourite pie dough recipe or store-bought pie dough. I at all times use and suggest my favourite recipe for home made pie crust. I even have an all-butter pie crust recipe you possibly can attempt.
See my tutorial on pie crust for tips about the right way to roll out pie crust. Rolling the dough right into a 12-inch circle is simply the proper dimension for becoming right into a 9-inch pie dish.
Get the Edges Prepared
After you match the pie dough into the pie dish, you possibly can trim the surplus pie dough overhang. I wish to hold round 1.5 inches of dough overhanging. Now you are able to do this earlier than or after you add your pie filling; it actually doesn’t make a distinction. I exploit both a knife or kitchen shears for this step.
If you happen to’re making a double-crust pie, you are able to do this after you add the filling and prime pie crust. (Right here’s my the right way to lattice pie crust tutorial.)
Fold the overhang again over and pinch it to make a pleasant, compact edge. If you happen to’re working with a double-crust pie, roll and pinch the highest and backside crusts collectively.
Now you’re able to create a reasonably edge, by fluting or crimping.
*NOTE: If you happen to’re making a pie that requires blind-baking the pie crust, resembling pumpkin pie or banana cream pie, you’ll crimp or flute the sting of the pie crust and bake it earlier than you add the filling.
The way to Crimp Pie Crust
To crimp the sides of the pie, you simply want an everyday fork. Place your index finger on prime of the fork, and press the tines down into the sides of the crust, persevering with all the way in which across the pie crust. It’s that straightforward!
Crimping the sides is nice for pies which have a prime crust and a juicy filling, resembling blueberry pie. It’s additionally how we seal the sides of hand pies, like these chocolate hand pies and apple hand pies. I exploit this methodology once more for tightening up the sides of butternut squash tart, and for these home made turnovers.
The way to Flute Pie Crust
Fluting the sides means giving it that traditional wavy, scalloped look that by no means goes out of favor, similar to my favourite apple pie.
You don’t want any particular instruments (although I’m undecided a fork actually counts as a particular software, LOL), simply your arms. Really, you solely want 3 fingers!
Use the knuckle of your index finger in your dominant hand, and your index finger and thumb of your non-dominant hand. With the non-dominant hand, pinch the sides of the dough across the knuckle of your dominant hand. Flip the pie dish as you go across the edges.
I particularly love fluting the sides of a one-crust pie, like a coconut cream pie or a quiche, as a result of it’s a means so as to add just a little aptitude and not using a prime crust design.
Don’t Neglect the Egg Wash
Whichever edge you’ve got, fluted or crimped, don’t neglect to brush the highest crust and edges with egg wash earlier than baking. Egg wash is solely an egg blended with just a little milk or water, and it provides the crust a beautiful shiny sheen, and helps to develop that wealthy golden-brown shade you need.
You employ an egg wash typically in baking, and never just for pies. I add it to stromboli, bread bowls, and even these home made breakfast danish pastries.
It’s also possible to add a sprinkling of coarse sugar for just a little sparkle and a candy crunch. As a result of who wouldn’t need their pies to glitter and shine?!
Some Takeaway Suggestions for Fluting & Crimping Crust
- Maintain the pie dough as COLD as potential and deal with the dough with care; it may possibly get very delicate the extra you’re employed with it, and the hotter it turns into. If it’s tearing, place it again within the fridge for a couple of minutes after which attempt once more.
- Have just a little dish of flour close by; if the dough begins to get just a little sticky, flour your fingers as wanted.
- Use kitchen shears to trim just a little little bit of the overhanging extra pie crust, simply to even it up. However go away as a lot as you possibly can, so you’ve got extra to work with when making that good thick edge to your crust.
- Quite than discard any scraps of pie dough, attempt utilizing a pie punch or cookie cutter so as to add ornamental shapes on prime of your pie. See this pie crust designs tutorial for extra concepts.
Really helpful Instruments
See my 10 greatest instruments for baking pies for extra of my favourite pie instruments!
The way to Crimp & Flute Pie Crust
Prep Time: quarter-hour
Cook dinner Time: 0 minutes
Complete Time: quarter-hour
Yield: 1 pie
Class: Pie
Technique: Adorning
Delicacies: American
Description
Making a pie from scratch is a labor of affection, and if you happen to’re taking the time to make a home made pie, you need it to be successful. Crimping or fluting the sides of the pie crust creates a stupendous edge, helps to seal within the filling of your pie, and in addition helps stop the sting from sinking down into the pie dish. We’re including each aptitude and operate right here!
Directions
- Make the pie dough: Put together and chill your pie dough for not less than 2 hours. If utilizing the linked recipe, put together pie crust via step 5.
- Roll out the chilled pie dough: On a floured work floor, roll out one of many discs of chilled dough (if you happen to’re making a double-crust pie, hold the opposite one within the fridge till you want it). Flip the dough a couple of quarter flip after each few rolls till you've got a circle 12 inches in diameter. Rigorously place the dough right into a 9-inch pie dish. Tuck it in together with your fingers, ensuring it's utterly clean.
- After you match the pie dough into the pie dish, use a pointy knife or kitchen shears to trim the surplus pie dough overhang. I wish to hold round 1.5 inches of dough overhanging. You are able to do this earlier than or after you add your pie filling; it actually doesn’t make a distinction. If you happen to’re making a double-crust pie, you are able to do this after you add the filling and prime pie crust. (Right here’s my the right way to lattice pie crust tutorial if you happen to’re .)
- Fold the overhang again over and pinch it to make a pleasant, compact edge. If you happen to’re working with a double-crust pie, roll and pinch the highest and backside crusts collectively. Now, resolve if you wish to crimp or flute the sides, and proceed with both step subsequent.
- Crimping: To crimp the sides of the pie, you simply want an everyday fork. Place your index finger on prime of the fork, and press the tines down into the sides of the crust, persevering with all the way in which across the pie crust.
- Fluting: Use the knuckle of your index finger in your dominant hand, and your index finger and thumb of your non-dominant hand. With the non-dominant hand, pinch the sides of the dough across the knuckle of your dominant hand. Flip the pie dish as you go across the edges. Evenly flour your fingers if the pie dough turns into sticky.
- Brush the sides, in addition to the highest (if utilizing a double-crust pie) with egg wash. If making a candy pie, and so as to add just a little sparkle and crunch, you possibly can sprinkle the dough with just a little coarse sugar.
- Proceed together with your pie recipe, resembling a double-crust pie like apple pie, hen pot pie, cherry pie, strawberry rhubarb pie, peach pie, or blueberry pie; or a single-crust pie like pumpkin pie, banana cream pie, coconut cream pie, lemon meringue pie, French silk pie, or quiche.
Key phrases: crimp and flute pie crust