An important step to skip when making a fruit pie

Deep plate homemade fruit pie is a deal maker. It’s a great housewarming gift, an acceptable apology, and a good way to make friends.Large slices that sport a thick layer of cherry fillings (or blueberries, depending on the language of fruit love) can make everyone rethink whether they are. actually “I have a lot of desserts.”

That further exacerbates the disappointment of cutting into a fruit disaster at the bottom of the water. You don’t have to worry that the pie will be a fruit soup when you put it in the oven and take it out. You are more suitable. The key to getting rid of guesswork from pie-baking is to cook the stuffing first.

Reasons to cook fruit fillings first

Two recurring problems with pie recipes that use raw fruit fillings are the sticky lower crust and the formation of huge air pockets between the fruit and the upper crust. The sloppy bottom is the result of trapped juice released from the fruit during baking, and the amount of thickener (usually a mixture of cornstarch or flour) is too low. Recipes usually consider the average amount of fruit juice, but it is not possible to predict variables such as fruit type, frozen and fresh, or whether it was the rainy season in particular in the area. There was literally a pie with fruit juice at the bottom because we couldn’t predict the amount of thickening ingredients needed.

The upper crust air pocket is another special disappointing magic trick for pies. Suppose you put a pile of raw apples in a pie and lovingly drape the top crust on top of it. When your pie hits the oven, it’s the most exposed and relatively thin, so it’s the top crust to cook and set first. Apples take time to cook. Over time, the fruit repels water and shrinks. The cell structure breaks and the filling shrinks further. In the meantime, the crust keeps its shape as the apples are cooked, tricking guests into being clogged with fruits when they are actually clogged with air.

The best way to pre-cook your stuffing

Pre-cooking the fruit filling is the best way to get the pie to be what you intended, and it also offers other perks. You are responsible for the thickness of the stuffing and can make it a few days in advance (a few weeks if stored in the freezer), allowing you to adjust the flavor more accurately and shorten the baking time.

To do that, put the required amount of fruit in a medium to large pot. Over medium heat, add 2 tablespoons of water and, if necessary, sugar. Water may look like a misleading additive, but this small amount eventually evaporates and, more importantly, prevents the fruit at the bottom from burning.

Stir occasionally while the fruit continues to cook. After about 5 minutes, most of the water is released, the juice foams and you are ready to add the thickening ingredients.I usually use Cornstarch slurry.. After mixing the thickener, bring to a boil. This will tell you what it looks like when you get out of the oven, so you can decide if you like consistency. If you want it to stand up when sliced, add a thickener (it will harden a little when cooled). If you prefer a looser texture, stir with a tablespoon of water at a time until you are satisfied. When the contents have cooled completely, add additional spices or flavors and stir. There is no danger of huge air pockets as the unpredictable puddles of juice are gone and the filling is already reduced. There is a perfect filling without surprise. (Clutch movement: If you think you’ll miss a pop of barely cooked fruit, reserve half a cup of uncooked berries or fruit slices and finally stir them for a crispy texture.)

If you use cooked fillings, don’t forget to adjust the baking time

Cover and store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days, in the freezer for up to 6 months, or use immediately.you that is Prepare, fill, prepare and bake the pie as usual However: Adjust the baking time. The contents are already cooked, so you can knock off in about 20 minutes. That is, it basically reheats in the crust. When the crust has a nice brown tint and you can see the filling gently bubbling in the vents, that’s it! Let it cool and get ready to slice into the most fruit-filled pie of your life.