How to Make Pie Crust Taste Better
Finding a good-tasting pie crust can be tough. But with the right ingredients and following a few simple steps in this article on how to make pie crust taste better, you can make pie crust taste exactly how you want it to taste.
To make a pie crust taste better, put the pie crust in the oven at 350 degrees for 20 minutes. It will allow the pie crust to get a little bit of color on it and taste better. After baking your pie, let it cool down before you serve it.
Additionally, use real butter instead of margarine or shortening, and pre-cook your crust before adding the filling. Also, add salt to balance out the sweetness of the filling, then add lemon juice to add a slight tartness to your crust.
8 Ways to Make Pie Crust Taste Better
You might not settle for a bland pie crust. However, these few easy tips on making your pie crust taste better will make you get what you want.
1. If you’re making your own, the type of fat you use will determine the taste of your pie crust. Lard and butter are common choices that produce rich flavor, but try vegetable shortening if you’re looking for a more neutral taste.
2. If you’ve chosen a recipe for water as the crust’s liquid base, consider switching it out for milk for added richness. The milk doesn’t have to be warm, but if it is, it will help the dough form more easily.
3. Add sugar about a teaspoon to give your pie crust a subtle sweetness. Then, depending on what kind of pie you’re making, you can add spices like cinnamon or herbs like thyme or rosemary.
4. Use vodka instead of water for added flakiness (optional). Vodka does not have any flavor and will evaporate as it bakes, so there won’t be any left behind in the dough once cooked up; this also adds some flakiness, so if you want something more tender, then use less water when making yours from scratch.
5. Do not overwork your dough, making it tough and chewy. If you have time, let it rest in the fridge for 30 minutes before rolling it out. It helps relax the gluten strands and makes it easier to handle and roll thin without breaking apart.
6. Always cook with unsalted butter because salt can cause problems baking at 400 degrees F (200 C). You want your crust crispy on the outside.
However, still tender inside, so using salted butter will help keep moisture from escaping during baking, resulting in sogginess or even burnt edges from too much heat exposure during the cooking time (which can happen easily with pie crusts).
7. Use milk instead of water when sealing the edges of the pie crust. It will give your pie a richer, more buttery taste.
8. Brush your pie topping with egg whites or milk for a shiny, bakery-style finish.
Finally, if you have time before baking the pie, let the dough rest in the fridge for at least 20-30 minutes. It allows the gluten in the flour to relax and helps ensure a flaky crust when baked.
How to Make Pillsbury Pie Crust Taste Better
Pillsbury pie crust is already pretty great. But there’s nothing wrong with wanting to take your pre-made pie crust to the next level. So this is how we do it.
1. Buy the best pie crust
You can’t go wrong with Pillsbury’s premade pie crusts because they come in many different flavors and are easy to use. They’re also made with 100% natural ingredients like sugar and salt, which are great for your body and delicious.
2. Add cinnamon and sugar
If you want your pie crust to taste better, try adding cinnamon and sugar before baking it. It will give it an extra sweet flavor.
3. Add cinnamon
Making your Pillsbury pie crust taste better is as easy as adding cinnamon. Cinnamon adds warmth and depth of flavor and pairs well with most pies.
4. Use the lattice method
The lattice method makes pie crust more interesting in appearance. It also helps make Pillsbury pie crust taste better by allowing air to circulate more freely in the oven, resulting in a crispier crust.
5. Use cream cheese
Adding cream cheese to your Pillsbury pie crust recipe can help to make it more flavorful. You can do this by mixing ½ cup of cream cheese into each of your pie crusts before baking them, then adding 2 tablespoons of sugar and a little milk to create a creamy consistency that will add flavor and richness to your pie.
6. Add lemon juice
Add lemon juice or extract to your filling before putting it in the oven, you won’t be able to taste it in the finished product, but its bright flavor will highlight the deliciousness of your pie crust.
How to Make Store Bought Pie Crust Taste Better
Making store-bought pie crust taste like it’s homemade is super simple.
Here’s how:
First, you want to ensure that your pie crust is defrosted and at room temperature. Then, once your crust is ready, use a fork to poke holes in the crust in your chosen pattern.
Next, brush the crust with an egg wash (beat one egg with one tablespoon of water), then season the crust thoroughly with salt and pepper. If you’re feeling adventurous, feel free to toss some herbs like thyme or rosemary into the mix!
Finally, bake the pie per the recipe’s directions (or until it’s golden brown).
Also, you can try this simple trick: drizzle a bit of olive oil on top and mix it in with your hands (or a fork/pastry cutter) until it’s evenly distributed throughout the dough.
Then roll the dough out as you normally would and bake as instructed. The olive oil will make your pie crust stretchier, so when it comes time to cut into your pie or slice out a piece for yourself, the crust won’t flake apart.
How to Pass Off a Store-Bought Pie as Homemade
Homemade pies are delicious and wonderful, but you don’t have to make your pies. And nobody will ever know.
Here’s how it’s done:
1. Buy a store-bought pie. Make sure it has a pre-made crust.
2. Get out your rolling pin and roll the crust slightly. It will make the edges look extra flaky and homemade.
3. Add some of your favorite spices or toppings to the top of the pie, like cinnamon, sugar, or even a drizzle of caramel sauce.
4. Let the pie cool, then serve it up.
How are some extra tips:
1. Do not buy your pie from the freezer section.
2. Buy your pie from the bakery at the grocery store.
3. Put your new pie in an old, beat-up tin (or just a plain tin).
4. Preheat your oven to 325 degrees (163 degrees Celsius).
5. Place your pie tin on a baking sheet and bake for 25 minutes.
6. Let cool before serving.
7. If someone asks, tell them you made it yourself
How to Make Store-Bought Pie Crust Flaky
Making store-bought pie crust flaky is surprisingly easy. The key is starting with an excellent crust.
Step 1: Choose a crust made with lard rather than shortening; lard adds more flavor and texture than shortening.
Step 2: Then add a liquid fat that will melt during baking. I love using butter, but you can use oil or even coconut oil if you prefer. Brush the crust with melted butter or lightly drizzle it on the surface.
Step 3: You can also rub some between your fingers and press it into the dough on top of the pan. The dough will bubble up as it bakes, making the crust flaky and crispy layers.
Step 4: Let it rest in the fridge for about 30 minutes to an hour.
However, brush melted butter on the crust before adding the filling to make it even better. It will give the crust an extra dose of flaky goodness while keeping it moist.
How to Make Pie Crust Without Shortening
Shortening is fat used in cooking and baking. It is typically made of hydrogenated vegetable oil and has a long history of use in American kitchens that dates back to the early 1900s.
Shortening can make the crust flaky and crumbly, so it’s an easy ingredient to replace. However, there are many ways to make pie crust without shortening, including cold butter (or other cold solid fats) or olive oil.
You’ll need solid fat to form a flaky pie crust without shortening. Butter is great for this purpose because it’s widely available, inexpensive, and imparts a delicious flavor that pairs well with many pies. You can also use lard, coconut oil, or vegetable shortening if you have them on hand.
Follow these extra tips when making a butter pie crust:
Use cold butter. Cold butter will stick together much better than soft butter. Use the biggest holes on a box grater to grate or cut the cold butter into small pieces with a knife or pastry cutter.
Add some vinegar to the recipe. Vinegar has acetic acid that reacts with the water in the dough and forms carbon dioxide gas as a byproduct of this reaction. It helps keep your pie crust from getting puffy as it bakes.
Brush your pie crust with egg whites or heavy cream to help keep it from puffing up in the oven.
Chill your pie crust before baking it to prevent it from puffing up.
How to Use Ready-Made Pie Crust
Ready-made pie crusts can be a great time-saver when trying to make an impressive dessert. But they can also come in a weird shape that doesn’t fit your pie pan.
Here is how to use Ready-Made Pie Crust:
1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.
2. If you want to make the crust flakier, take the dough out of the fridge for about 10 minutes before you are ready to bake. It will give your pie crust more time to absorb moisture and become more pliable.
3. Using a rolling pin and additional flour, roll the dough on a lightly floured surface until it is 1/8-inch thick (about 12 inches in diameter).
4. Transfer the dough into your pie pan by rolling it onto your rolling pin and unrolling it into the pan or by folding it in half and then again in quarters and then putting it into the pan with one point in the middle of the plate.
5. Press down gently but firmly so that the dough covers the bottom of the pan and all along the sides, using your fingers to form a smooth edge on top of the rim if you like; that looks better than a crinkled edge.
6. Dock or prick small holes in the bottom of your crust with a fork so that air can escape during baking, preventing bubbles from forming and puffy pockets from ruining your perfectly flat pie crust.
Note: When baking with your ready-made pie crust, you may find that the bottom of the pie crust burns before your filling is baked thoroughly.
You can prevent this by placing a sheet pan on top of another (to insulate) and then putting your pie pan on top so that heat is distributed evenly throughout all parts of the pie.
How to Make Pie Dough by Hand
Pie dough can be intimidating, but we’ve got you covered. Follow these steps:
Step 1
Take the flour and add a cup of it to a large bowl. Then add a cup of the butter cubes straight out of the fridge. You want this butter to be cold when you start working with it.
Step 2
Add the salt and sugar, and then use your hands to mix everything until it resembles coarse crumbs.
Step 3
Add four tablespoons of water one at a time to the mixture, and mix them with your hands until they are incorporated into the dough.
Step 4
Once that’s done, place the dough on a lightly floured surface and gently form it into a disc shape. It will take around five minutes; you don’t want to overwork the dough or end up with tough pies.
Step 5
Wrap the dough with plastic wrap before refrigerating for at least two hours before using it for baking pies.
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Conclusion
Making your pie crust is easy and fun if you follow how to make pie crust taste better. Even though you’re not doing any mixing, you can still make a batch of delicious pie crust and spend a relaxing evening making pies with your family.
