Pie Questions? Pie Answers.

Pie Maven T-Shirt Perplexed by pie? Experiencing a custard conundrum? Mystified by meringue? The Pie Maven strives to maintain a comprehensive resource for all your pie needs, but if you're trying to Go Pie and can't find what you need here (or you can't be bothered to look), just ask. The Pie Maven will reply, and likely post your query here as well, so that we may all learn along with you.

“You can tell whether a man is clever by his answers. You can tell whether a man is wise by his questions.” Naguib Mahfuiz

Some previously asked questions...

HELP! This one has me completely stumped:

"What is the term for the first bite of a piece of pie? That little pointy tip. I know I read somewhere that there is an actual term for this portion of the pie. Thanks, Carol B.": Most people would call it "Heaven", but I'm sure that's not technically correct. If there is an actual word for it, does anyone know what it is? Let me know and you'll be showered with praise and glory.
I have been making a rhubarb custard meringue pie for a couple of years now. This weekend I made four of them and they all had a runny custard – for the very first time. I used disposable aluminum tins – and that is the only thing I can think of that would have caused this problem. Would this have made a difference? Thank you, Debi F.: If you baked the pies all together, that could cause poor heat distribution in the oven so the pies won't cook properly. But if the only thing you changed was the pans, I would blame those. The disposable tins are so thin they don't regulate the heat well enough, so you get hot-spotting that can cause a custard to seize up, then squeeze out all its liquid. Whenever I use disposable tins, I double-up to make them thicker.
Thanks for writing! -The Pie Maven

From what I have read on your Web site it seems that meringue should not be stored in the refrigerator beyond one day. My mother makes a lemon pie often and sometimes we store it up to a week, while slowly eating it up. From your research is it dangerous to store and eat the meringue after this amount of time? If so, do you have any links or a good sources where I can read about this? I tried googling this but didn't come up with much. Thank you for nice Web site and any information you may be able to provide me. Joseph J

I'm not credentialed in this or anything, so I wouldn't take my advice as gospel. But from what I know on the subject (the FDA is a good source for eggs in general, if not specifically meringues - http://www.fda.gov/Food/ResourcesForYou/Consumers/ucm077342.htm), eggs that have been cooked safely can be stored in the refrigerator for 3-5 days (maybe 7 if you're a risk-taker). But the tricky thing with meringues is that they might not have been cooked properly to be stored that long. The FDA says they need to be cooked to 160 degrees, which makes a really firm egg. I've never stuck a thermometer in a meringue, but given its delicacy and (usually) short baking time, I'd be surprised if it reached that. (I'm going to have to experiment now...)

That said, if the eggs are salmonella-free (pasteurized and eggs shells treated and all that), they're supposedly safe to eat even raw, so they should be safe in the fridge a little longer.

But meringues usually get kind of yucky way before health becomes a concern.

When I have meringue pie leftovers, sometimes I scrape off the meringue and just keep the custardy filling. When I serve the leftovers, I cover it in whipped cream instead.

Thanks for writing! -The Pie Maven

In England I'd recommend Pie Minister, they have a few shops now, but mostly they sell at food markets: http://www.pieminister.co.uk/ My favourites are "Thai Chook", "Heidi Pie" and "Chicken of Aragon". Oddly I don't like their beef pies anything like as much. So if you're ever on this side of the world, now you should at least know where some good savoury pies can be found! Adrian W.

Thanks for the suggestion! Their website is fantastic. I may have to cross the globe just to check them out!
Go Pie! -The Pie Maven

cream pies do not set up when cool, they are more like pudding instead of pie consistency. what is going on? Joyce

Runny fillings could be caused by a few things, and without knowing your recipe it's hard to pinpoint the problem. The easiest one is that there isn't enough thickener, and you need to add cornstarch, four, tapioca, etc., to thicken it. If there are eggs in the filling, you could be overbaking - overcooking eggs makes them seize up and wring out moisture. Or it could be that you need to precook the filling on the stove before you bake it.

Banana Cream Pie: 2/3 c sugar, 1/2 tsp salt,21/2 Tbs cornstarch, 1 Tbs all Gold Medal Flour, 3 cups milk, cook above mixture until thicken. then blend some into 3 egg yolks slightly beaten., stirring constantly, then add mixture to sauce pan and continue cooking for 1 min. cool then pour into cooled baked pie shell. I have heard that if the corn starch was old this may be the problem of the pie not setting up. what do you think? Thanks Joyce

Cornstarch doesn't really "go bad" and lose potency. (It's just a simple starch and not a chemical reaction like baking soda or baking powder.) My guess is that the filling was cooked too hot or too long. That can cause the thickener to go thin again.
Go Pie! -The Pie Maven

How can I prevent a runny center in pecan pie? Linda A.

There are a few things you can try. 1) Be very careful to not cook it too long. Over-baking can make the eggs runny, so bake it at a higher temp for a shorter time. 2) Reduce the amount of butter. 3) Add a little tapioca or flour to the filling.
I hope any one or more of these suggestions help.
Go Pie! -The Pie Maven

First, I'd like to say, I love your site! Great information. I recently bought some small tart pans through Williams & Sonoma and now I realize I should have bought the ones with the removable bottoms. Oh well, I guess this is how we learn. Anyway, I was looking at your recipes and am very curious to know/understand why you put an egg in the crust? Many thanks, Trish Hansford www.bearsbytwohearts.com

Hi, Trish. Thanks for loving my site! You put egg in a tart crust so the protein will hold it together, but still keep it a little flexible. A pie crust is supposed to be delicate and flaky, but since a tart is served outside of the pan, it needs to be able to hold together on its own. The egg also helps keep the filling from making the crust soggy. A pie can withstand some seepage, but a tart can fall apart if it gets too wet.

You should be ok without removable bottoms if they're small (might take a little practice, though). It's the full-size tarts that are nearly impossible to remove without scrambling it. Thanks for reading! Way to Go Pie! -The Pie Maven

I am a (fruit) pie connoisseur, and have two additions for your wonderful directory: Miles Farmers Market 28560 Miles Road Solon, OH 44139 http://www.milesfarmersmarket.com/ Wonderful pies in many varieties San Francisco Street Bakery 1320 San Francisco Ave NE Olympia, WA 98506 http://www.sfsbakery.com/ they also sell pies at the Olympia Farmers Market: 700 Capitol Way N Olympia, WA 98501 Love your site!= Helen R.: Always great to hear from a pie connoisseur! Thanks for sharing more places to Go Pie! -The Pie Maven
Hi I saw your Pie Maven site but didn't see my problem. On the off-chance that you are online, I wanted to ask a question. I baked an Italian Pizza Rustica tonight and forgot to brush the top with egg. I realized this when the cooking time was done, so I quickly brushed the top with egg while the pie was hot, and let it cook another 10-15 minutes at 350 degrees. But now I'm worried....do you think I cooked the egg enough?? Thanks, Gae: Sorry I didn't get online and see your email sooner. I assume you've eaten the pizza by now and either got sick or didn't, so you know if the egg was ok or not. But I hate to see a question go unanswered so - yes, I think you're fine. Soft-boiled eggs are only cooked 3-5 minutes, and boiling water is only around 212 degrees. And blind-baked pie crusts with an egg wash are only cooked 8 minutes or so. So I'd say 10-15 minutes at 350 degrees is more than adequate. -The Pie Maven
Hi, I have been trying to make a Bailey's macadamia pie. I have the same problem I often do with pecan pie. The pies puff up in the oven too much and then totally deflate when they come out. It's driving me crazy. Do you know the problem? I baked the macadamia at 300 for 1 1/2 hrs. Is that the problem? Joan F.: Yes, I would say you're over-baking. (I'm prone to the same thing - I always second-guess myself and decide to leave it in 'just a couple minutes more...') You should take it out when the edges are set but the center is still a little jiggly. It will retain enough heat when you remove it from the oven to continue baking its innards for a little while.
I hope this helps! -The Pie Maven
Hi there! I wanted to first let you know how much we LOVE your website. You seem like a lot of fun and there is so much great information. I wanted to let you know that my partner and I run Asheville, North Carolina's only exclusively pie (no we do not do wedding CAKES :) baking company. We are called Pies In Disguise and our website is www.piesindisguise.com. Nothing against Early Girl Eatery, which is listed in the directory. They are a delicious restaurant that I love going to, but they hardly ever have pie. Please visit our website when you are able and become a fan on facebook! I just figured I would let you know that Asheville has a pie company and we would love it if we could be listed on your website. Have a great day and thanks for spreading all the pie love~! Eliza Sydney Pies In Disguise: Thanks for the suggestion. (Way to self-promote!) Your mustached pies make me giggle. I am absolutely adding you to the site. Way to Go Pie! -The Pie Maven
Hello Pie Maven - I am a huge pie fan. While looking for pie trivia to use at my National Pie Day party next week, I found your site. Looking through your list of places to get good pie, I noticed some missing locations I wanted to suggest -- when I travel I always try to find a good place for pie. Maine - Moody's Diner in Waldoboro. It lives up to the hype. Maryland (I live in Maryland and work in Washington, DC) – The General Store. 6 Post Office Rd, Silver Spring, MD 20910 (301) 562-8787 This is a restaurant (which is in a building that used to be a general store and post office) and they always seem to have good pies -- usually chess pies. Best Pie Company. 13600 Annapolis Rd, Bowie, MD 20720, (301) 860-0620, www.bestpiecompany.com Only take out, but solid pies. Washington, DC - You have Breadline listed, but I have visited that establishment for lunch at least once a year for the past 7 years and I never recall seeing pie being sold. DC is more of a cupcake town, but I have found a good place for a slice. It is Baked and Wired, 1052 Thomas Jefferson Street NW, Washington, DC 20007, www.bakedandwired.com Washington State - Chimacum Cafe, 9253 Rhody Drive, Chimacum, WA 98325, (360) 732-4631 I had blackberry pie there that was good enough to write home about. Dahlia Bakery, 2001 4th Ave, Seattle, WA 98121, (206) 441-4540 The bakery is next to the restaurant Dahlia Lounge, where I had the Triple Coconut Cream pie that was so good, not only did we eat at the restaurant twice while visiting Seattle for three nights, we purchased the cookbook “Seattle Kitchen” just to get the recipe. Take care, Brian N. There are only seven days in a week, but eight slices in a pie.: Thanks, Brian! Your dedication to Pie should be an inspiration to all. Next time I'm in the area, I will definitely have to check those places out. -The Pie Maven
Hello, Yesterday I made a sweet potatoes pie. I grabbed the wrong dish. I got the 10 inch deep dish size. It took almost 2 hours to bake for the filling to be done. I baked it at 325 degrees. The crust was hard but didn't burn. That was the edge. The rest of the pie was great. Do you have any idea of what to do ? Thank you for your help and time. I love the dish. Thank you, Debbie B: Hi, Debbie. If that pan works out for you, keep doing what you're doing. But try covering the edges with aluminum foil to keep them from burning before the rest of the pie is done. If that doesn't work, try partially-cooking the filling before filling the pie and baking it.
Good luck!
The Pie Maven
What does it mean when N.Y. Yankee baseball fans held up a sign reading, "Give us pie!" when Derek Jeter came to bat in game 2 of the playoffs? Kevin & Joyce L.: I'm not a New Yorker, nor a baseball fan. But thankfully I work with someone who is both, and he shed some light on the subject. And I can't believe I haven't heard of this earlier!
The Yankees have started a fantastic tradition for 9th inning wins - whoever scores the winning run gets a whipped cream pie in the face. So, I assume that's what the fans were asking for (and rightfully so!) - The Pie Maven
I am using a fairly common tart crust recipe which uses vegetable shortening. As always I place parchment on the crust and then my layer of rice as a weight, and bake for 20 minutes. Each time I remove the parchment a layer of the pastry sticks to the paper. Could you please advise? Zac A.: Zac,
I think the parchment might be sticking because the crust is drying out. Try rubbing a little butter on the crust or spray it lightly with cooking spray before you place the parchment paper. Or blind bake for a shorter time (you can take it out and remove the paper and weights before it's fully-baked, then bake a few minutes more without the paper and weights until it's browned). Also, make sure you remove the paper and weights before the crust cools. Let me know if this helps! - The Pie Maven
I did a double batch of egg custard pie filling. Baked ½ of it one day (they were perfect) and refrigerated the rest. 2 days later, used the rest of the filling and the pies sunk and when we broke apart, they were watery. I could use some help! Thanks, Barbara C.: Barbara,
Without knowing the ingredients in the custard, it's hard to pinpoint the specific problem, but my guess would be that chilling the eggs caused the proteins (which are responsible for thickening custards) to bunch up and squeeze out the liquids. Next time, try baking it all at once, then chilling the unused portion. Or temper the eggs again before baking - that should help the proteins relax and distribute throughout the custard again. Hope this helps! - The Pie Maven
Hey, Pie Maven! Just thought you'd enjoy this: -Lisa: You were right - I DO enjoy that. Thank you! :) - The Pie Maven
Hi, Pie Maven. What's the difference between a pie and a cobbler? -Ian W.: Well, Ian, I'm glad you asked. You see, a pie is a pastry that either encloses or contains a filling, whereas a cobbler is a pastry made by pouring the filling over batter, which then rises through the filling during baking. They are much more similar in final form than in preparation, especially when a pie slice falls apart when served. - The Pie Maven
Can I use margarine instead of butter? -Sandy T.: You can. But you shouldn't. If you have your heart set on using margarine, fillings are generally pretty forgiving. But I wouldn't recommend it for the crust unless the recipe was specifically designed to use margarine. Baking pastry is a precise formula with every ingredient serving a distinct purpose. Removing fat and adding liquid and other chemicals (which is what happens when you substitute butter for margarine) completely changes the chemical reactions in the crust, and the result won't be as the recipe intended. And keep in mind that while it's important to not let your love of pie undermine your health, margarine may not actually be healthier for you than butter. - The Pie Maven
-Andrew S.: Thanks, Andrew! That's awesome. Way to Go Pie! - The Pie Maven
How do I make a pie? -John: That's the big question pages and pages of this site are devoted to answering. Start with the crust, add the filling, and Go Pie again and again - practice makes perfect! - The Pie Maven

Dear Pie Maven, I want to do something nice for my girlfriend, like bake her a pie, but I am NOT a cook. What's an easy pie for a first-time baker? -Kenny D.: I'd suggest a cream pie in a graham cracker crust, like banana cream or chocolate cream. All you basically need to do is mix cracker crumbs with butter, bake it, then fill it with pudding. Easy as pie! (But don't let her know how little effort you put into it.) - The Pie Maven

“It is not the answer that enlightens, but the question.” Eugene Ionesco

Go Pie!