I Need Pecan Pie Help

[Alix]

Oh my gosh. That pie is gorgeous and I'm so jealous.

I've always blind baked my crust before putting in the filling and never had it stick. I wonder if that is the key?

I say you need to test another pie and when you are placing the crust in, be aware and try not to press the pastry in too deep. Let the filling settle the crust a bit. And when its done, mail that baby up here. I'll test it for you!

You are a pie master Andy, that is a work of art.

 

[Andy M.]

Thanks, Alix.

Taking the time to carefully place those pecan halves on the top takes all the patience I have. Anything that takes longer, like making paklava or spanakopita with those individually buttered layers of filo gets passed of to Suzanne.

I feel the need to make another pie for Christmas. I'll try pre-baking the crust and covering the top so it doesn't burn.

Do you brush the pie crust with egg white before blind baking it to provide a waterproof coating?

 

[Alix]

Yes I do, but usually only for a couple minutes after its been in for a bit. And when its something sticky like pecan pie I use some parchment paper INSIDE the crust and use dried lentils or beans as my pie weights. The other thing I was thinking is that if you use a glass pie plate, after you blind bake you can take a peek underneath and at the sides to see where it might be stuck and you could maybe use a knife or spatula to loosen it before you pour in the filling?

So...blind baking for me with pecan pie looks like this:

Cut parchment to fit inside of pie. (I cut a couple of slits and then overlap those so there are no wrinkles) Then pour in about 1 cup of beans or something as pie weights. Bake for about 10 minutes at 350. Take out, let sit for about 3-5, take out pie weights and paper, brush with egg wash and put back in oven just long enough to set the wash (5ish minutes). I watch it at this point and take it out if it looks like it will bubble or get too dark.

That make sense? And when I bake the pie I do the foil thing around the edges so the crust doesn't overbake.

 

[Andy M.]

Thanks again, Alix. Pecan Pie is on the menu for Christmas.

 

[Randy_]

I went back and reread all of the posts about sticking just to be sure I had not overlooked anything and the real puzzle is that this is an intermittent problem. Andy says he has had a lot of success with his pie and only an occasional sticking problem. So the question is why does it stick sometimes and not others? I am assuming he pretty much uses the same method every time; but for using store-bought crusts vs. making his own.

My impression is the sticking occurs with the store crusts and not with the homemade crusts; but am not sure about that and need to look again at his earlier comments.

Guess I need to run a little experiment and make up 5 or 6 pies to see if I can figure out what is the problem. That sure is going to wreck havoc with my diet; but that is just the sacrifice I will have to make in the name of cooking science.!!

 

[Andy M.]

Do you think five or six pies is enough?

 

[Randy_]

Probably not; but I need to show at least a little restraint until I am down to weight ond off my diet!!!

 

[Randy_]

Andy; I just realized that I have a copy of "JOY" on loan from the library so I took a quick peek to see what they suggested. Gotta go out in a few minutes to pick up my new bike so i only had tome to look at the section specifically about pecan pies. A review of the general section on pie crusts will have to wait until later.

Rombauer's suggest:
1. Blind baking the crust.
2. Useing an egg yolk glaze on the crust.
3. Bake @ 375° for 35 to 45 minutes.
4. "DEAR ABBY" recipe calls for 40 to 50 minutes @ 350°.

Looks like your hour @ 375° might be a little too long??

More later.

 

[Andy M.]

Randy, thanks for taking the time to check it out. My recipe is a hour at 350F NOT 375F. When I take it out of the oven, the center of the filling is just barely set.

 

[mamascucina]

Pecan Pie

If you use a frozen pie crust, simply take the crust out of the pie pan while frozen, spray the pan with non-stick cooking spray and then put the pie crust back in the pan. Then you can thaw and fill. Also, make sure the pie crust doesn't have any cracks or openings before pouring in the filling. If so the liquid will seep through and cause sticking and burning.
Hope this was helpful! Happy Baking!

 

[Constance]

I have noticed that the store bought crusts are not large enough in diameter to make a nice crimped edge around the top. It might be that the filling is bubbling over the edge of the crust during cooking, getting underneath, which would make it stick. Either use a smaller pie pan and less filling, or cut strips from an extra crust to make a high crimped edge. (Use the ones from the dairy case.)
My recipe calls for starting the pie of at 425, then lowering the temp to 350 after 15 minutes. That firms up the bottom crust so it won't be soggy.

 

[mamascucina]

Pecan Pie help

I also blind bake my pie shell for ten minutes at 350 degrees; be sure to use pie weights so it doesn't shrink or bubble up and pop open.

 

[philso]

andy,
i`ve never used a packaged pie crust, so i can`t comment on that aspect, but i always grease my pie pans. along with an initial 5 minutes or so at a very high temperature, it helps to crisp up the bottom crust. it would probably help with the sticking, too.

as for the foil on top, i`d say just make sure it only contacts the uncoated pecans, and not the filling, and that you might need another 5 minutes or so baking( i`m sure you`re an expert eye-baller of fillings).

best of luck next time

 

[Selkie]

I have noticed that the store bought crusts are not large enough in diameter to make a nice crimped edge around the top...

If pressed for time, I keep on hand and will use a Pillsbury refrigerated pie crust... NOT one of those frozen in a tin pie crusts, but these are in the dairy case near the canned biscuits - two to a package. They are about 14" across once unrolled, and even a deep dish pie will have an inch or so more than necessary. They are flaky and very good.

 

[babetoo]

i like the philsbury and use it all the time. only when making a sweet crust do i do it myself. gonna use the sweet for a sweet potato pie recipe in found in very old cookbook. looking forward to it.