I've a soggy bottom!

kah22

I'm trying to sort my double crusted apple pie. The problem - soggy bottom !

There are two question I would like to ask:  how to apply an egg wash and how to keep the top from burning?

Regarding the egg wash, I know the principle behind it and I've used it successfully in single crusted pies. Remembering that this is a double crusted pie do you pop it into the oven for a few moments so that it seals the bottom, but will that have any affect on attaching the top crust?

 I've read that one solution to soggy bottom is to let the pie bake for 40/45 minutes and that gives the bottom crust time to cook properly but that raises the issue of the top crust burning. A solution might be seem to be to cover the top crust with tin foil or the like for the last 15 minutes.

That's my thinking.  Have you ever have a running battle with soggy bottoms and what was your solution. I'm working with a 20x2 cm loose based tin

joedenise

I just use a metal tin and line with the pastry; fill with the filling and then top with the the upper crust.  Never had a problem with soggy bottom or burnt upper crust.  I start the pie off at 200 for about 10-15 minutes and then reduce the heat to 180 for the rest of the time.  

I've never pre baked the bottom crust of a double crusted pie.  The only time I've done that is if I'm making a tart.

bouicca21

What are you using to bake the pie?  Metal or Pyrex should be fine. Ceramic/pottery ( not sure of the right term) just don’t get hot enough, so that could be the problem.  I’m assuming that the filling is just apples and a bit of sugar?

kah22

I’m using a Delia Smith recipe https://!!!!!!.com/mr4ba6ey
and I really can’t get my head around how 175 grams of flour will give a strong bottom. Advice seems to differ most authors will say roll as thinly as possible while recommendations a base of 2 to 3 mm 

Auntycaz

 It could be because you are using a loose bottomed tin. I only use these for cakes as the bottom is slightly raised so it doesn't come into contact with the oven shelf.. I would use a metal dish and also make sure your filling isn't too wet. It can be thickened with a little cornflour or breadcrumbs.
if you still have a problem put a baking tray in the oven to get hot and then cook your pie on top of that.  Yes to covering with foil when it is dark enough. Hope this helps.

nanto3girls

I always sprinkle a bit of flour on the bottom crust, with either sweet or savoury pies.
Never had a soggy bottom.

-taff

I agree with not using the loose bottomed tin, because then you need a good thickeness to keep the walls up. Cook it in a ceramic dish or a metal one, either work for me, gas 4, middle shelf, half fat to flour, 8 oz flour to butter, and use two thirds for the bottom and a third for the top.

kah22

Some good suggestions. I like the idea of a metal dish with a fixed base, I will certainly try it,

I baked a pie this afternoon, using some stewed apples that I'd prepared the previous night, and just before putting the apples in the tart added uncooked apple chipped into the mixture and set the pie on a preheated pizza  tin, both seemed to help.

With the pie on the bottom shelf I blasted it at 200c for 15 minutes and then turned the oven down to 170 when the top appeared done I covered it with foil and continued to cook it for at least 20  minutes.

I'm getting there 🫰🏼 🙏🏻

Mistral001

nanto3girls said:

I always sprinkle a bit of flour on the bottom crust, with either sweet or savoury pies.
Never had a soggy bottom.

This works.

I tried many things such as precooking the bottom crust of my apple tarts, but always got a soggy bottom until I sprinkled flour on the bottom crust. 

Apples produce a lot of liquid, so although sprinkling flour on the bottom crust reduced the sogginess, it did not give be a completely dry bottom crust.  I experimented a little using cornflour mixed into the filling as well as sprinkling flour on the bottom to soak up all that juice from the apples.  This reduced the sogginess further, but the filling was a little gooey for my taste.  Changing to 50/50 flour/cornflour in filling and on the bottom worked really well though.

Rosa_Damascena

Mistral001 said:

nanto3girls said:

I always sprinkle a bit of flour on the bottom crust, with either sweet or savoury pies.
Never had a soggy bottom.

This works.

I tried many things such as precooking the bottom crust of my apple tarts, but always got a soggy bottom until I sprinkled flour on the bottom crust. 

Apples produce a lot of liquid, so although sprinkling flour on the bottom crust reduced the sogginess, it did not give be a completely dry bottom crust.  I experimented a little using cornflour mixed into the filling as well as sprinkling flour on the bottom to soak up all that juice from the apples.  This reduced the sogginess further, but the filling was a little gooey for my taste.  Changing to 50/50 flour/cornflour in filling and on the bottom worked really well though.

Good tip!