Read This Before Using Aluminum Foil To Bake Apple Pie
Have you ever made an apple pie? We're talking made from scratch with what feels like blood, sweat, and tears. No? You're not the only one. The Topeka Capital-Journal spoke with Susan Miller, director of King Arthur Co.'s Baking Education Center, and she told us what we all subconsciously know: "Anxiety over making pies is second only to using yeast in the baking world."
Sometimes making a pie isn't always as easy as pie – and the crust may be the culprit. When a pie is baking, the crust may burn before the filling is done. When it's time to dig in? The dessert may look Instagram-worthy ... until you cut into it. The apple filling has made the bottom crust a soggy mess.
With pies, the crust's edges always tend to bake faster than the filling. However, aluminum foil can keep your pie crust from burning. Just make some pie armor, aka a foil ring that covers the crust's edge. Fruit creates extra juice when baked or cooked, so always use cornstarch for a thickener, and if you want the perfect pie crust that won't be a sponge, blind bake the crust first.
How do you blind bake with aluminum foil?
We see your pie anxiety kicking in. Fret not — blind baking is just pre-baking the crust without the filling, which helps ensure the pie is completely baked. But you can't just toss an empty pie shell in the oven for 15 to 20 minutes. Without some weight, the crust will lose its shape.
Chef Thomas Keller of The French Laundry and Per Se recommends placing two layers of plastic wrap over the crust, filling the pie with dry, uncooked beans, then baking it. If you're concerned about using plastic wrap in the oven, you can use aluminum foil instead.
If you don't have any foil or plastic wrap, your pie isn't doomed. Another way to get an all-around golden crust is by baking the pie in a glass pie pan. Dont' forget to brush an egg white wash across the bottom crust, which is one of The Pioneer Woman's favorite methods to prevent a soggy bottom. Whole Foods Market also suggests lining the crust with cream cheese or a mixture of flour and turbinado sugar, which has the bonus of giving the pie some extra flavor.