soggy bottom crust (pizza, chicken, ceramic, best)

[kelly237]

When I make pies with a filling or chicken pot pies I would love for the bottom crust to be crispy and not soggy.

Is it possible to bake the bottom first and then add the filling and top crust and finish baking.

If so, how long should I bake the bottom ??

[Mooseketeer]

The best way to get a cripsy crust is to bake your crust "blind" first. You can either use some ceramic beans ( they are available in most cooking stores) or in a lot of people also use dry pulses or baking beans as they cook without imparting any flavour .


How to... Bake blind: iVillage

KitchenCraft Ceramic Baking Beans Baking beans ceramic blind bake Baking Accessories Ceramic beans look like that. I couldn't find a US site which sells them but I am sure there are plenty...

Hope this helps.

[sterlinggirl]

A pizza stone might help.

[stone-ground]

If you didn't wish to bake the bottom first, helps to roll an egg white around the bottom crust, then tip and pour out. Also roll the bottom crust out fairly thin. Keeps liquids from seeping into the crust.

Find it helps a lot to bake a pie on the bottom rack, otherwise the bottom crust doesn't brown. Have the oven at a high heat for the first 15 - 20 minutes .. 430', .. keep an eye that the top crust doesn't get too dark, then turn the heat to 350' for the remainder.

Parchment paper really helps prevent the top crust getting too dark, while you're trying to get the bottom one cooked. Tear off a square, cut out a 4" - 6" circle and place over pie. The crust can still brown in the middle and prevents the edges from burning.

[bjh]

Or foil around the edges of the top crust also keeps the edges from becoming blackened.

[Goodpasture]

and here I had this vision of the Soggy Bottom Boys doing a cooking show and thought the food network had finally stepped over the edge........



YouTube - The Soggy Bottom Band does In The Jailhouse