“], “filter”: { “nextExceptions”: “img, blockquote, div”, “nextContainsExceptions”: “img, blockquote, a.btn, ao-button”} }”>
When you Outside+ >”,”name”:”in-content-cta”,”type”:”link”}}”>Join Today!
Picture this: It’s November 24th and you’ve been assigned to deliver the pumpkin pie for this year’s Thanksgiving dinner. You peek into the oven and scream – the top is cracked, the crust is underdone, and it definitely doesn’t smell like pumpkin pie… what went wrong?! And- oh no…. what will happen to you in-laws Say?!
Director of King Arthur Baking School Amber Eisler Says that because of this exact scene he calls Pi anxiety. After being with baking school for nineteen years, she’s seen her fair share of pumpkin-pie-related meltdowns and blames it on the added stress of the holidays.
“On the hardness scale, pumpkin pie falls right in the middle,” says Eisler. “Maybe not the easiest, but not the hardest pie either. The filling is pretty easy, but you have to balance the bake so that your crust is fully baked at the same time as your custard.”
The perfect pumpkin pie should have a brown crust with bright orange custard. The crust should be crisp and well baked – no soggy bottom. The filling should be silky smooth and flat on top without being heavy in the middle.
To recreate this beautiful result and eliminate pie anxiety, we asked Eisler what the most common mistakes are when baking pumpkin pie and how to avoid them.
Mistake: Underbaking the crust
Solution: Pre-baking
“People often underbake their crust or overbake their filling,” says Eisler. “I think the worst of the two is underbaking your crust.”
Eisler recommends partially pre-baking your pie crust before filling it with custard. Use pie weights to hold the crust in place and bake halfway through the regular baking time. Remove from the oven, fill with custard and bake the rest.
“You’re making sure you get a nice full bake on that crust without underbaking your filling,” says Eisler.
If you don’t have a pie weight, you can use a coffee filter filled with dried beans. Just make sure you don’t use anything that will leave the flavor on the crust.
Mistake: Burning the pie
Solution: Fewer and slower
“A lot of pie recipes start out baking at a pretty high temperature, like 400°Fa-425°Fa” Says Eisler. “Halfway through baking, you want to turn the oven down to 350 This gives your filling time to bake thoroughly.”
The low and slow approach will help prevent those unsightly cracks on top of your custard.
Mistake: Using the wrong pan
Solution: metal and shallow
Although Eisler says there’s no wrong pan for baking pumpkin pie, different shapes and ingredients require different methods. Use a metal, shallow pie pan for better heat conduction. A glass or ceramic pie pan can be a little more insulating, so you’ll have a harder time getting that well-browned bottom crust.
“The size can affect how your custard bakes,” says Eisler. “If you have a shallow pan, your custard will bake much faster. If you have a really deep pie pan, it will take much longer and can contribute to the problem of underbaked filling.”
Mistake: Less spice
Solution: Refresh your spice cabinet
Those spices that have been gathering dust in your cabinet for years may not be so spicy anymore. Make sure you have fresh ingredients when making your pies.
“If they don’t have much aroma anymore, they may not have much smell,” Eisler says. “So maybe it’s time to get some fresh spices.”
He recommends taking liberties with how much specific spices you want in your custard. Add an extra dash if you like cinnamon. If you want a more spicy flavor, add an extra teaspoon or two of ginger.
“You’re not breaking any rules when it comes to seasoning your pie!” Eisler said. “But I would generally discourage pre-tasting the pie filling.”
Incorrect: Complete lump
Solution: Go easy on yourself
is wrong! Don’t beat yourself up. Eisler says most cosmetic mistakes with a pumpkin pie can be covered with a little vegan whipped cream garnish.
“Try not to stress about it!” she says. “And don’t get too upset—one of these mistakes doesn’t mean the pie is a total flop!”