Here are my tips and tricks to make your pies too pretty to cut! These are things that work best for me and my kitchen. Also, remember that I have gone through A LOT of trial and error in trying to figure out how to best accomplish some of these tricks so it might take some practice before you get the hang of some of these. Hell even I'm still learning, and if I find better/easier ways to do these, I'll make future posts!
1. How to make the crust dark and appetizing...
When I was young and making pies at home I would get super frustrated because the pies I would make tasted good but looked pretty dull - when they came out of the oven, the color wasn't quite right. So mother, in her infinite wisdom, taught me to make an egg wash to brush on the crust before it goes in the oven. I scramble an egg in a small bowl and mix in a splash of milk (you can omit the milk if that's what your heart desires, but I find the crust gets a little too dark without it) and then using a paint brush or basting brush, apply the egg mixture to the entire top crust. I like to finish it off by sprinkling the top of the pie with sugar - this helps give the edges some extra flavor if you eat the filling before finishing all of the crust.
2. How to make designs on the crust...
So this takes practice and patience and creativity. When I first attempted to do more than just lattice work on top of a pie, I found the crust recipe I always used was difficult to shape and form. If I made a mistake and had to re-roll out the dough, the crust would get dry and brittle and essentially be impossible to work with. So for mor intricate designs, I use the Pillsbury pre-made pie crusts that you can find in the supermarket.
Now before I'm shamed, let me explain why this is a life-saver. It is already rolled out and is super durable so it can take being rolled out again at least once if you mess up. Also, it doesn't bubble when baked like some other pie crusts will do. And finally, it's not covered in flour like your homemade crust might be right after it gets rolled out on your counter top. I do like to doctor the store-bought crust up a little by rolling some cinnamon into it after I take it out of the package. I will say, however, if I'm just doing a single top crust with maybe a few slits in it or a simple lattice, my normal crust recipe is still my go to because it's a little more flaky than the pre-made stuff - albeit a little more delicate.
For very intricate designs like a squadron patch or things that have a lot of detail, I make a template by printing out the design the size I want it to be on the pie. Then, on the rolled out dough I will use a toothpick to mark the edges of each component before cutting it out with a sharp knife. If the knife starts to pull at the dough, dip the knife in some flour - that should keep it from sticking. I also like to assemble the design on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper or a silicon baking pad and bake it slightly (about 5-7 minutes @ 400 degrees) before putting it on the pie. I find that this way, the design will stay flat and not sink as much into the filling - not to mention if you mess up, you don't have to try to clean the filling off of the dough if you have to take it off the pie to re-roll it and try again.
Another little tip is that if you want to add some depth and contrast to the design, you can use the egg wash trick that's mentioned above on "darker" parts of the design and leave "lighter" parts of the design without the egg wash.
3. Invest in some quality cookie cutters...
A few years ago, I bought a little tin of leaf shaped cookie cutters and I have not once used these for actual cookies but have so far used them for about 7 pies. They're so much easier than having to trace a design out and depending on how you use them, they can add a lot of depth to your design. More often than not, I will bake the cut outs - like I stated above for a few minutes before placing on the pie so they will hold their shape.
4. How to add color...
This, in my opinion is the best way to add that wow factor to your pie. No one expects it but adding color really isn't that difficult to do. I have two methods for you. The first is actually putting food coloring into the bowl as you make the crust. HOWEVER, if you add a lot of food coloring to the dough, be careful when you roll it out because it's not fun to try to get the color off your counter...I have learned this the hard way. I used this method on the below blueberry pie. I made three different batches of crust - one without coloring and the other two with different shades of pink.
The second method is my personal favorite. Simply paint the dough with milk dyed with food coloring - this gives it more of a watercolor effect like the leaves in the picture below. Brush the color on before putting the crust in the oven, because that helps it set. Also, a little will go a long way. If you paint too thick of a layer of the milk, it will run and potentially bleed into other components of your design. That's what happened with my 77th Fighter Squadron Apple Pie. I was trying to get the background a really deep shade of red and I painted too much red milk on it too fast instead of doing another coat after waiting for it to dry. Some of the red bled onto the banner portion that is supposed to be white on the right side. So learn from my mistakes and take your time!
5. Parting thoughts...
If you are decorating a pumpkin pie or other type of pie that has a liquidy/custardy filling, bake the pie half way before adding your decorations - this ensures the decor does not sink to the bottom as it's baking!
Know your design before you start and think about how you'll accomplish it from start to finish.
Be careful when using sprinkles - if they are around liquids their color could run or they could melt in a way you didn't anticipate.
Remember, the crust is going to shrink a little bit when it is baked, so what it looks like when you put it in the oven may not be what it looks like when it comes out. And that's ok! With the pink lattice blueberry pie from earlier in this post, I thought it looked amazing when I finished decorating it before I baked it. When the pie was pulled out of the oven, I saw that the filling bubbled up and broke through the lattice and made it look like a creepy gender reveal scarecrow mask. BUT it still tasted delicious, and I will eventually try that technique again to try to perfect it. No big deal!
I hope this was helpful! Stay tuned for a tutorial on how I crimp the edges of my pies and how to make roses for your crusts - with videos (hopefully)!
I truly appreciate you shopping through my affiliate links like the ones on this page. I make a small commission when you purchase through these links at no extra cost to you. These funds help me make more delicious treats and content for you all to enjoy! Thank you!
Comments