Illustrated Version of: Secret to Crimping Pie Crust

The Secret to Crimping Pie Crust

See accompanying article at: http://jansdough.janktheproofer.com/Tip18.htm

By Jan's Dough

New Page 1

	Even if you've never made pie crust before, you can make great pie crust the first time you try! If you haven't already read my helpful article on how to make pie crust, then please go to: Yes, You Can Make Pie Crust! Once you've made the pie crust, and have rolled it out so that it is bigger than your pie pan (see the illustrated instructions that accompany the article given above), lay the dough over the rolling pin. This will help you get it into the pie pan.
	Use the rolling pie, gently lay the pie crust over the whole pie pan. You'll note that I certainly don't use anything fancy...just a plain old wooden rolling pin, a hunk of muslin as a pastry cloth (that I got from Mom as a wedding present in 1973---yes, Mom, it's still the same piece of muslin...), and throw-away pie pans. Maybe someday I'll think about getting real pie pans...but then I'll have to wash them after we eat the pie!
	When the pie crust is laying over the whole pie pan, lift it gently around the edges and drop it down into the bottom of the pie pan. Don't worry if some of the edges are a little off---I'll show you how to fix it! You see, the whole point is to get the dough in the pan. Being a perfect pie crust isn't a requirement!
	With your fingertips, pat the pie crust down into the pan, so that it is completely formed into the pan, and is snug up against the sides of the pie pan.
	If any edges are "broken" then simply use your fingertips to push the sides together. Overlap the edges a little and press down---just hard enough to smoosh the edges of dough together. If you've got a big tear or rip in the pie crust, you can fix that, too! Just get a piece of rolled out dough that's slopping over the edge, pull it off, and lay it in the pan over the rip, so that it hangs over the edge. Use your fingertips to push the pieces together. It will bake nicely and no one will ever know!
	Use a butter knife to cut away the pie crust that is hanging over the edge. (And if you need to repair the pie crust in the pan, or a gaping whole in the edge, use these scraps!)
	Now you are ready to crimp the pie crust! You are going to "pinch" the dough together with the index finger and thumb of one hand, while you push against the index finger and thumb of your other hand.
	Notice that my right thumb and index finger have pinched the dough. I push forward with my right thumb, with my left index finger stopping the dough.
	Once you've made the first crimp, move along the edge of the pie pan, the width of your index finger. Now crimp again. Move along the edge, another fingertip width.
	In this close-up, you can better see that my right thumb is "pushing" the dough in toward the pie pan, and my left index finger is stopping the dough. The great thing about pie crust dough is that it is very forgiving. If your crimping is a little messy right at the beginning, but then it gets better as you go along, simply re-crimp the messy edges!
	Once you've crimped the entire edge, then use a fork to lightly prick the entire bottom of the pie crust. You do this so that when you pre-bake the pie shell, the steam will be able to escape (instead of being trapped in the dough, and making the dough bulge in the bottom).
	Use the fork to poke holes along the sides, too!
	Now the pie crust is crimped, and steam-vented! Congratulations! Pre-bake the pie crust at about 400 degrees, for 5-10 minutes, until the pie crust is puffy and looks "dry." Please see my article on making pie crust for more tips (and pictures)! Once the pie crust is pre-baked, fill with the desired pie filling and bake according to instructions.

New Page 1

Do you need free content article

This illustrated tutorial or craft may not be used as free content. For free content for your website or in your newsletter go to Jan's Free Content (http://www.jansfreecontent.com).