Any number of tasks may strike you as easy as pie, but anyone who's ever actually made a pie can tell you that it actually requires some care if you want it to turn out well.
Consider apple pie. Its ingredients are few and elemental: apples, of course, along with sugar, flavoring and pie crust. But choosing the right apples is a serious business. Likewise, you'll want to do what you can to prevent the apples from shrinking in the pie shell as they cook, which simultaneously makes the bottom crust soggy and creates an unsightly gap between the filling and top crust.
Let's start with the apples. Some are tart and some are sweet. Happily, autumn is apple season, which means farmers markets (and, to a lesser extent, supermarkets) should be bursting with choices. Buy an assortment, taste each kind and take notes about their flavor, paying particular attention to their sugar level. An apple's flavor intensifies as it is cooked. Unless you're nuts about one particular variety, I'd advise you to pick a mix for your pie. The complexity of the flavors will make the pie that much more interesting.
Some apples turn into mush when they're cooked, while others hold their shape for days. If you're not sure which way a given variety will go, here's a test: Cut a wedge into cubes, combine it with a pinch of sugar and a tablespoon of water, then cook it, covered, over low heat for about 5 minutes, or until just tender. Most varieties will hold their shape, but McIntosh, Macoun, Cortland and Empire will fall apart and turn into applesauce. I recommend adding a few of the fall-apart varieties to your pie. Their sauciness will moisten and bind the rest of the apples in the filling.
Now, how to prevent that gap? Simple. Gently pre-cook the apples, which drains them of liquid and shrinks their bulk. They'll shrink no more once they're added to the pie, which means there'll be no gap between the filling and the top crust. But don't toss out that liquid! If you boil it down as detailed below and add it back to the apples, you'll amp up the apple essence.
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FAQs
If you "mind the gap," make sure your apples are packed tightly and evenly into your crust before topping it, and cut back the heat in your favorite recipe to 375°F, which allows the top crust to melt a bit onto the apples as they cook.
Should you precook apples for apple pie? ›
Precooking the apples solved the shrinking problem, helping them hold their shape in the oven while also eliminating any excess liquid, and thereby protecting the bottom crust.
Do apples shrink when you cook them? ›
Gently pre-cook the apples, which drains them of liquid and shrinks their bulk. They'll shrink no more once they're added to the pie, which means there'll be no gap between the filling and the top crust.
What apples should not be used for apple pie? ›
There are a few apples that don't make the cut. While great for snacking, Gala, Fuji and Red Delicious are the most common apples that won't hold up in the oven and will give you a watery-mushy pie, tart or cake.
Why is there a gap in my pie? ›
When you cook fruit, it gives off water, which then evaporates as the juice thickens during baking. this means that if your pie crust is resting on the raw apples, they will get smaller as they cook, leaving a gap, because the crust sets before the apples begin to shrink.
Should I soften my apples or leave them uncooked for apple pie? ›
Baking the apple slices first. It's the magic key to a crispy base, superior flavour and perfectly-cooked-and-never-mushy filling. It's also how you get a generous amount of pie filling without the dreaded giant empty cavity under the lid.
Why did my apples turn mushy in my pie? ›
Pectin is the biological glue that holds together plant cells, giving fruits and vegetables their shape and structure. When apples are cooked, this pectin breaks down, and the apples turn mushy.
Should I Prebake my pie crust for apple pie? ›
If you're making a traditional two-crust apple pie, the crust should not be pre-baked. If the bottom crust is baked, you won't be able to pinch it together with the top crust after adding the filling. Prebaking is only practical for single-crust pies.
How to keep apples from shrinking in pie? ›
The problem with baking extra-thick apple pies is that the apples shrink as they cook! This leaves a gap between the crust and the apples, which usually collapses upon cooling. What to do? The trick is to gently cook the apples first so that they do their reducing before they go in the pie.
Why is my apple pie so crunchy? ›
But if you underbake your pie, not only will the apples potentially be crunchy and the crust wan and flabby; the combination of heat, liquid, and thickener won't have sufficient time to work. Juice bubbling out the edges of the pie is actually a good sign: it shows the filling is hot enough to thicken.
Allow your pie to bake for the entire recommended period.
People often pull their pie too soon out of fear that it will burn. This leads to runny pie because it prevents the filling from thickening. Check the recommended cooking time, and set a timer. Don't use the brownness of your pie crust to judge if it is done.
How do I keep the bottom of my apple pie from getting soggy? ›
Crust dust is a 1:1 mixture of flour and granulated sugar. When baking a pie, especially a fruit pie, a couple of teaspoons of crust dust sprinkled into the bottom of the crust will help prevent the crust from becoming saturated with juicy filling as it bakes.
How do you get moisture out of apples for apple pie? ›
Some experts will tell you to par-cook apples before filling a pie by pouring boiling water over cut apples and soaking them for 10 minutes. Others say to roast them to reduce water content. Still, others say to let cut apples sit for 30-40 minutes to drain natural juices.
What thickens apple pie? ›
When thickening a fruit pie filling, there are several options to consider. Very often flour or cornstarch is used, but in certain instances tapioca, arrowroot and potato starch can also help achieve the desired consistency.
Why is there a space in my apple pie? ›
Use butter, not shortening
Pie crust made entirely with shortening will produce pie with a wonderfully crisp crimped edge, but also — potentially — a gap beneath the top crust.
How do you keep apple pie from falling apart? ›
If you're working with a warm crust, it's easy for it to break and stick to the pie plate, so it's important to chill it before you roll it out. Also, make sure the pie is refrigerated for at least 30 minutes before baking. You can also brush the bottom crust with an egg white to prevent it from falling apart.
Why is my pie filling separating? ›
A pumpkin or custard pie filling separates from the crust due to shrinkage. This is a normal part of the cooling process. The fact is, all baked goods shrink as they cool due to the evaporation of moisture during baking. In a pie, the filling and crust are shrinking in opposite directions.
How do you fix a pie crust that keeps falling apart? ›
If it's too crumbly, add a little more water. Once your pastry has come together, don't then ruin it when rolling it out. It's always tempting to shovel loads of flour onto a work surface when rolling out pastry.
