PIE ADVICE!!!

This weekend a customer asked me for some pie advice but I was so busy I feel like I wasn't thorough enough so I'll try again.

Question: "The bottom pie crust always gets soggy.  How do I keep that from happening?"

Okay Pie Customer, there are a few reasons that this could be happening.  First, you may be rolling your pie dough out too thin.  Mine is usually the thickness of about a nickel but no thinner than a penny, it should not be paper thin.

Second, your oven may be too cool.  I bake my pie for the first 15 minutes  in a 425 degree oven then lower the temp to 350.  This dries out and crisps up the crust right away to protect it from soggifying.

Third, you might not be using enough thickener--especially if we're talking about Berry Pies.  Add another tbsp of tapioca, it will keep the filling from ever getting watery and therefore not soaking into the crust.  If it's an apple pie add more flour.

Finally, use a glass Pyrex pan.  (Oh, Pyrex, I could write a sentimental and loving poem about my love for you! ) This way you can see the bottom crust browning in front of your very eyes!  I'm constantly rotating my pies from a lower to middle rack to ensure the bottom crust is as brown as the top crust.

Hope that helps Pie Customer!
PS Remember I am on vacation this weekend, July 6th and 7th, see you  on July 13th!!
xoxo