An egg wash is used to make pastry (such as a pie
crust) shine, and aids in browning. An egg wash is also used to
bind parts together (such as when patching holes or cracks in your
crust, or to seal the edges of the top and bottom crusts together), or to
moisture-seal the bottom crust when blind baking so it doesn't get
soggy when the pie filling is added.
An egg wash is just beaten egg and often a small quantity of liquid
(usually milk or water), which is mixed together and brushed (or
"washed") onto the pie dough's surface with a pastry brush. Be
careful not to brush it on too thickly, or it can dribble down between
your crust and the pie pan, essentially gluing them together.
The basic rule of thumb is 1 tsp of liquid per egg. You can experiment with adding spices to your egg wash, such as cinnamon or nutmeg, for added flavor and added color. The part of the egg you use and liquid you add to your egg wash will determine the finished look of the pie crust.
| For this result: | Make an egg wash with: |
| Shiny | whole egg, salt |
| Faint Shine | whole egg, milk |
| Matte, golden-brown | whole egg, water |
| Shiny, golden-brown | egg yolk, water |
| Shiny, golden-brown | egg yolk, salt |
| Shiny, dark | egg yolk, cream |
| Crisp, pale | egg white |
| Matte, golden-brown | heavy cream or half & half |
| Faint shine, golden-brown | olive oil |
“'Why' and 'How' are words so important they cannot be too often used.” Napoleon Bonaparte
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*The Fine Print
