What can cause soggy bottom pies? I have been making pies for well

L

luisa_calif

Well-known member
over 50 years and maybe once before gotten a soggy bottom. Have I lost my pie-mojo? I used my usual recipe for dough and filling (fresh apricot). I baked on a cookie sheet ( I never needed to pre-heat it before) 425 for 15 minutes then 45 min at 350. I left it on the sheet to cool on top of the stove burners ( I usually remove it to a rack). I may have had a tad more liquid in the dough because I used a sprayer/mister for the last addition(it was suspiciously easy to roll out).

Any ideas ???

BTW I made another pie two days later, baked it on a preheated stone, cooled it on rack and it came out great as usual. I added a Tb of vodka (never done that before) to the cold water liquid which I kept to a minimum. So it was crumbly to roll out.

I know, I know, lots of variables were changed.

 
Let me preface this by saying, I am absolutely NOT a pie maker - I've made about 3 fruit pies in my

lifetime, and I really shouldn't be giving you, the obvious expert, any advice. However, in my limited experience, I found that pre-baking/blind baking the bottom crust resulted in a firmer crust. The first time I made an apple pie, I didn't do that, and the crust was soggy. Also, the last time I made one, I precooked the apples on the stovetop, and the bottom crust was even firmer.

 
My wet bottom pies are almos always caused by . . .

either not hot enough oven--my best results with pre-heating are when I preheat a LOT. Plus, some years ago, I started coating the insides of my bottom crusts of my pies with beaten egg, which seems of itself to cut down the soggs and I have learned to use, always use a glass pie pan.

You may have not put enough thickener in your pie if you had fresh apricots--some years they are really juicy and some years they are dry. I just canned a bunch from a friend's tree and they were quite dry. Canned some more from another friend's tree and they are super juicy. I usually add sugar and flower (my usual thickener) to my filling and then let it set while I roll out the bottom crust. When I next look at the filling, how much it juiced out will tell me if I need to add more thickener.

I also use quite a bit of liquid in my dough, but then I like to use up to 1 cup of butter/shortening for a crust for one double crust pie (I usually use about 3/4 Cup for a crust, but sometimes use more).

One further thought: Are you sure you pre-heated the oven as long as you usually do? And if you are sure, maybe your oven thermostat is off?

Good Lord, isn't pie wonderful?!!

 
I was going to suggest to add more thickener too, but Heaven knows

I'm NOT an expert baker, either. Good luck... seems like you haven't quite lost it yet!

 
pie crust

I usually put the pie on the last bottom rack-let it cook 15 minutes- it helps to cook the bottom crust then you can put it in the middle
rack.Hope this helps.

 
all good things to cosider. Especially the juicy part. The second pie I put more thickener in >>

cornstarch since the first pie seemed to be a bit runnier. I always try to use glass pie plates unless I'm making more than 2 pies, then I have to resort to my metal pans.

 
Lower down rack, good idea.

I think on my next pie I put the stone on a rack one notch lower. And I preheated the stone.
Off to pick MORE apricots...

 
It was difficult! Like I said, I'm no pie baker - I can't remember exactly how I managed it, but

somehow I did. It goes without saying, it wasn't the most beautiful looking crust. LOL

 
OK, I'm a bit slow....put it on the bottom rack for the first 15 minutes and then

move it to the center for the remaining cook time?

 
what I do is start at 425 for 15 minutes. Don't change rack but lower the temp to 350 for the rest o

And I use edge shields for the first 15 minutes.

 
Just saw this in a Cooks Illustrated cookbook. To prevent the super juicyness that

can bring on a soggy bottom (and if you add a crust on top, a big hollow hole between the top crust and the fruit below. The trick is to precook the fruit which does a couple things 1. concentrates the flavor (the juices are released, moisture evaporates and is funneled back into the fruit) and 2. Precooking fruit slightly enables the fruit to collapse so when you put the top layer of crust on, it's on a base that is more aligned with what the final result will be.

I took a pie class by a pastry chef once and one of the things she does is add cookie crumbs to the bottom of the pie crust. It helps absorb moisture and adds a bit of flavor without adding cornstarch or other thickeners.

Okay, not sure if I explained all that well but hopefully it helps. I've looked at four or five of the Cooks Illustrated cookbooks lately and can't remember which one it came from. My guess is it's in the "Best Recipes" book.

 
All good ideas. question on the ccokie crumbs though. Do you just sprinkle them on top of >>

the bottom crust and sort of press on them a bit or are they incorporated into the dough for the bottom? (I'm thinking amaretti would be nice.)

(Apologies for the typos, etc.)

 
I have trouble with bottom crusts if I place them directly on foil or a cookie sheet. have better

luck if I put the foil or sheet on the rack directly below the pie for drips.

 
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