Abigail Abesamis Demarest is a freelance writer, editor, and former New Yorker based in sunny Panama City Beach, Florida.She still loves her Emile Henry Ruffled Pie Dish. Pies, both sweet and savory, are usually served in the pan they were baked in. That’s why looks matter more for pie pans than for other baking pans. Many manufacturers offer different color options and attractive designs. Pies baked in metal pie pans usually cook faster than in ceramic and glass pans. Because metal conducts heat faster, the outside of the pie is likely to cook faster than the inside of the pie, which is most noticeable when cooking custard pies. The crust is also likely to brown faster in a metal pie pan, sometimes requiring you to cover the rim of the crust with foil when baking especially large pies, like apple pie, that take longer to bake. Pies baked in ceramic and glass plates tend to cook uniformly across the pie, since the pie plate provides more insulation than metal and heats up at the same speed as the pie filling. Pies may take anywhere from a few more minutes to half an hour longer to cook all the way through compared to metal plates.

You don’t need any special tools (though I’m not sure a fork really counts as a special tool, LOL), just your hands. Actually, you only need 3 fingers! I especially love fluting the edges of a one-crust pie, like a coconut cream pie or a quiche, because it’s a way to add a little flair without a top crust design. We baked both a delicate coconut cream pie and a hearty apple pie in this dish, and were impressed with the results of both pies. We immediately noticed that the tight fluting around the edge makes a great guide for a consistent finger-crimped pie crust. The coconut cream pie released cleanly and evenly from the plate in perfect slices, while both the top and bottom crusts of the apple pie cooked all the way through. Fluting the edges means giving it that classic wavy, scalloped look that never goes out of style, just like my favorite apple pie. After all, making a pie from scratch is a labor of love, and if you’re taking the time to make a homemade pie, you want it to look good. So don’t skip the finishing touches—that would be like hanging a beautiful work of art in a broken picture frame!Yes, you can use a pie pan to bake a cake, but you should be aware that pie pans typically have angled sides and cake pans have straight sides. Because of this difference, if you're making a layered cake, the edges of the cake will be harder to frost. The cakes can be trimmed to get rid of the angled edges but may still be difficult to frost. Generally, cake pans should be used for baking cakes, but in a pinch, a pie pan will do if you aren't interested in how good the final product looks. The perfect pie dish does exist – you just need to work out which one is right for you. Finding your ideal match will all come down to what you’re planning to use it for. Like to create wonderful pies featuring flaky puff pastry? Or maybe potato-topped pies are your favourites? There’s guaranteed to be a pie dish to suit all of your cravings. The final products were admittedly very cute, and fun to share. Three pie plates use about the same amount of filling as one full-sized pie, so all six pie plates would equal about two full-sized pies. Each mini pie served two people who really like pie, but we imagine it could also serve three to four people who just want a bite of pie. Whichever edge you have, fluted or crimped, don’t forget to brush the top crust and edges with egg wash before baking. Egg wash is simply an egg mixed with a little milk or water, and it gives the crust a gorgeous glossy sheen, and helps to develop that rich golden-brown color you want. Most pie pans are 9 or 10 inches in diameter, but there are also models in between, which is a good compromise for any standard-size pie. A 2-inch-deep pie plate works best for double-crust pies and single-crust pies with a generous filling. A 1.5-inch-deep pie plate can be used both for double-crust and single-crust pies.

Crimping the edges is great for pies that have a top crust and a juicy filling, such as blueberry pie. It’s also how we seal the edges of hand pies, like these chocolate hand pies and apple hand pies. I use this method again for tightening up the edges of butternut squash tart, and for these homemade turnovers. This is my favorite blueberry pie recipe, and what I show in the video tutorial below. A deep-dish pie pan can be anywhere from 1.5 inches to 2 inches deep. The depth of the pie dish is typically related to the diameter, with larger 10-inch pie dishes having a deeper measurement and an 8- or 9-inch pie dish having a slightly shallower measurement.See my tutorial on pie crust for tips on how to roll out pie crust. Rolling the dough into a 12-inch circle is just the right size for fitting into a 9-inch pie dish.

If you bake pies to give to others or take to events regularly, it might be worth it to buy a handful. They're sturdier and more attractive than disposable pie pans while still being lightweight, but you haven't lost much of an investment if the pan doesn't get returned to you later on.We measured the diameter of each pan from the inner edge of the rim and found that the Lindy's pan isn't a true 9-inch pan, but comes close at 8.5 inches. You'll want to keep that in mind when making pies, as you'll probably use slightly less filling than a recipe calls for. It produced a perfectly par-baked shell in less than 25 minutes at 350 degrees Fahrenheit. The custard pie that we baked came out smooth and creamy without overcooking, scrambling, or uneven browning. Unfortunately, cutting slices of pie directly in the pan can leave marks on the bottom of the pan, but it doesn't detract from its overall functionality. Cooking just for yourself most nights? Or perhaps you want to create a restaurant-style dining experience from the comfort of your own home? Individual pie dishes are the way to go. But this step isn’t all about looks, either; crimping or fluting the edges of the pie crust also helps to seal in the filling of your pie—we’re adding both flair and function here! The biggest perk of a glass pie plate is being able to see what’s going on with your crust while it’s baking. Even when the top crust seems nicely golden brown, the bottom crust may need a few more minutes to fully cook, especially with juicy fruit filling in an insulated dish. A glass plate like the Pyrex Easy Grab Pie Plate takes the guesswork out of knowing if your crust is fully cooked. You use an egg wash often in baking, and not only for pies. I add it to stromboli, bread bowls, and even these homemade breakfast danish pastries.