3 Tools to Solve All Your Pie Problems

With a few tools, you’ll have no problems mastering these fall pies.

It’s the height of apple and pumpkin season. You know what that means: time to bake lots of pie! Perhaps you’ve sworn up and down that this autumn, you’re going to master baking pie. If this is the case, we applaud you. Here’s something else to keep in mind: there’ll be less standing between you and the title of best pie with the right baking tools. Below are three that solve your biggest pie-making problems (we won’t bake a pie without ’em!).

The Problem: Your Piecrust Isn’t Flaky.

The Solution Tool: A Marble Pastry Board

An ultra-cold dough is the secret to a perfect crust. (If the fat in your pie dough is cold enough, it will melt off during baking and turn into steam, which contributes to layering and overall flakiness.) Keep your dough as frigid as possible by using starting with chilled butter or lard straight from the refrigerator or freezer, and work on a marble pastry board, which keeps dough firmer and cooler than room temperature.

The Problem: You Struggle to Transfer Your Crust Without Breaking It

The Solution Tool: The Right Rolling Pin

Pastry can be precarious, and never more so than when you’re transferring a perfectly rolled-out crust to a pie dish. To avoid your dough tearing or collapsing, try transferring it using a rolling pin: Gently roll your dough onto a rolling pin, then unroll it on top of your pie plate. This works best when you have a sturdy, straight-sided rolling pin with a large diameter, like our marble rolling pin (which also keeps pastry cool).

The Problem: Your Crust Is Burnt

The Solution Tool: A Piecrust Shield

If your crust always seems to come out of the oven burnt to a crisp, try using a cover designed to protect the crust while the rest of the pie bakes through completely. We love this odor- and stain-resistant silicone version, which is dishwasher-safe and withstands temperatures of up to 450ºF.