Probably the main reason that pie crusts shrink is because the dough is not given adequate time to “rest”. This resting time allows the gluten to literally relax at critical points in the pie dough process, and will play a big role in preventing shrinking once it is baked.

How do you keep a pie crust from shrinking?

To avoid shrinking crusts, use a metal or unglazed ceramic pie plate (available from The Pampered Chef) and blind bake the dough at 350°F. If you only have glass pie plates, you can still blind bake the crust. Just be sure to trim the dough a tad beyond the rim of the pie pan, perhaps 1/8 inch.

What is the cause of her shrinking dough?

Pastry shrinks when it's baked as its liquid content (from eggs, butter and water) evaporates. Here's how to help stop your pastry shrinking in the oven and ruining your tart case. When flour combines with liquid, proteins in it form elastic strands of gluten. ... For light, crumbly pastry, handle the dough gently.

How do I stop my pastry from shrinking?

Here are five steps to prevent your pastry from shrinking when it's baked:

1. Add water sparingly. ...
2. Don't over work your dough. ...
3. Let your dough rest for at least one hour before baking. ...
4. Get your pastry cold (really cold) ...
5. Bake at high heat. ...
6. Watch: How to Make Royal Icing.

Why does my dough shrink after rolling?

Proof The Dough For Longer

Gluten needs rest as it degrades over time to become more stretchy and workable. ... It's likely this is the reason it shrinks back when you stretch or roll it because the gluten needs to rest for a longer period than is required for yeast activity.

Why Do My Pie Crusts Shrink? - Pie Q&A with Kate McDermott

23 related questions found

What are pie weights?

Pie weights, small ceramic or metal balls, serve as a temporary filling during the first round of baking. They're not extremely heavy, but they're substantial enough to weigh the dough down enough to prevent puffing.

Why is it important to chill the pastry in the fridge?

Pastry must always be chilled in a fridge after making. This helps it to relax which in turn will help to prevent it shrinking on baking. Additionally, instead of trimming excess pastry from a tart case before baking blind you could also leave it overhanging the tin.

Why do you put vinegar in a pie crust?

The Theory: Gluten formation is inhibited in acidic environments, thus adding vinegar or lemon juice to a pie crust will keep it more tender. The Fact: Gluten formation is actually improved in mildly acidic environments—down to a pH of around 6 or so.

What can you use if you don't have pie weights?

Alternatives to Pie Weights

• 1 – Dried Beans, Rice, Popcorn. You may already have heard of “baking beans,” which are simply dried beans used as makeshift pie weights. ...
• 2 – Steel Balls or Other Metal Objects. ...
• 3 – Metal Chain. ...
• 4 – Sugar. ...
• 5 – Another Pie Form.

What happens if you don't Blind Bake pastry?

Baking blind is a method of cooking the pastry of a quiche, pie or tart BEFORE you add the filling – otherwise, the theory goes, the pastry doesn't cook, while the filling does and you end up with a soggy mess.

What happens if you overwork pie dough?

When pastry dough is overworked in this manner, the resulting mass can't absorb enough water. And without enough water, little or no steam can form in the oven to expand the layers.

How do you know if pie crust is overworked?

If your pie crust is tough instead of tender and flaky, you probably either overworked the dough or added too much water to it. There's not much to do in this situation but plate up a slice and throw on a scoop of ice cream. Don't sweat it: You'll do better next time.

Why does bread shrink in the oven?

Bread collapses after baking due to moisture remaining in the crumb. As bread cools, moisture escapes causing the bread to shrink. As it is released from the crumb, water latches onto the crust, making it heavier. ... This leads to the crust collapsing or wrinkle lines appearing on the surface.

What is blind baking in cooking?

Many sweet and savory pie recipes require pre-baking or "blind baking" a crust. No one really knows where the term got its name, but "blind" baking a crust means baking it without a filling.

Do I really need pie weights?

Blind baking a pie crust calls for filling the bottom crust with pie weights to keep the pastry from puffing up in the oven. But if you don't own pie weights, there's no need to purchase them. Instead, check your pantry for dried beans or uncooked rice—both will work just as well as pie weights.

Can you blind bake Pillsbury crust?

How do I blind bake a pie crust? For the instructions below, we've used a prepared, refrigerated Pillsbury pie crust from the grocery store, but this blind baking method will also work for a pie crust made from scratch. ... For a partially baked crust (as I've shown below), bake at 450 degrees F for 7-8 minutes.

Should you poke holes in bottom of pie crust?

Poke holes in the bottom of crust prior to baking. ... This baking time is just for the crust, not a filled pie. However, the crust can be used for a filled by, the baking time will vary for each recipe. For a filled pie, do not poke holes in the crust.

Can I use rocks as pie weights?

Glass Marbles or Polished River Rocks

So line your pastry with some butter paper, tie the marbles/river rocks in a muslin cloth and use them as pie weights. These will ensure that the pie gets heated evenly. Make sure that you wash the marbles and river rocks before using them.

Can you use coins as pie weights?

Well, aside from being extremely cheap (I can use all pennies if I feel like it), a single layer of coins is the perfect weight for defeating crust bubbles. Change lays down flat, so it doesn't make dimples, and if you like you can even lean individual coins against the sloping sides of a pie crust.

Why should pie dough not be stretched when putting in pie?

Why is this important? Because pastry dough that's stretched to fit a pan will try like heck to revert to its original size as it bakes. If you've stretched a too-small round of dough to cover the pan, it'll most likely shrink down the sides of the pan, disappearing into the filling as the pie bakes. FAIL.

What does adding an egg to pie crust do?

Egg: This makes the dough more pliable and easy to roll out. Eggs also make the crust more compact. Acid and Alcohol: Both acid and alcohol tenderize pie dough, make it easier to roll out, and prevent it from shrinking in your pan.

Is pie crust better with butter or Crisco?

The pros: Butter has the best flavor and it forms light, lofty, flaky layers in pie crust. ... The cons: Butter can be harder to work with than lard or shortening because of its lower melting point, so the dough temperature has to be just right. If it gets too warm, it will be too soft to handle and will tear easily.

What happens if you don't Chill pie dough?

Non-chilled crust is fairly crumbly and less smooth, which makes it harder to roll out and means it may not look as polished. It will brown more quickly and the final product will likely be tougher, heavier, and more doughy – none of those in a bad way. It will likely have a more intense, butter flavor.

Should you Refrigerate pie crust before baking?

Chill in the fridge for 30 minutes, or up to overnight. Tip: Chilling hardens the fat in the dough, which will help the crust maintain its structure as it bakes. And the short rest before rolling relaxes the dough's gluten, helping prevent a tough crust.

Why should you roll pastry in one direction?

One direction. When rolling out your pastry roll it in one direction only at a time, starting near the centre, to stop it from being overstretched (which will cause it to shrink considerably when baked).