’Tis the season for holiday baking. No Thanksgiving table is complete without a pie or two, but if making literal dough isn’t your day job, it can feel daunting to jump in and bake for the big feast. To help coach you through your best pie yet, we tapped three local bakers who do make dough for a living.
Start strong. Use the best butter, flour and fillings you can find. “Whether you’re a baker or a cook, my top tip is to use quality ingredients,” said Kimberly Dunn of Domestic Bones. “That doesn’t mean they have to be expensive. I never get all my ingredients from one place. Instead, I like to shop around.”
Keep cool. “Cold butter and cold water are key to a flaky and tender crust,” said Kristen Daily of Pie Bird Pies. Once you’ve mixed the pastry dough, allow it to chill out in the fridge for at least an hour before rolling it to transfer to the pie pan.
Cook that crust. Lana Shope of Pies and Pastries by Lana has found that many new or infrequent bakers are afraid of overcooking their pies, so they’re overly cautious about the bake time. This can result in an underdone crust. To ensure it’s flaky and golden brown, “bake the pie on a low shelf in the oven, close to the heating element,” Shope said. And remember to slide a large baking sheet underneath the pie pan to catch any drips of juice or filling that bubbles over; your future self will thank you.
At the end of the day: “It’s pie. No matter what, it’s going to be delicious and special, even if it’s not picture perfect,” said Daily.
—Karla Walsh, contributing writer
