How to Make a DIY Pie Shield
Frustrated with pie crust that burns before the filling is cooked? Learn how to make a simple DIY pie shield with simple aluminum foil and save that crust!
Images courtesy of my blog: BellewoodCottage.com.
Baking the perfect pie can be elusive. The simple pie presents unique challenges–such as how to prevent the crust from burning before the filling is fully cooked. Enter the humble yet ingenious pie shield—a simple tool that can make a world of difference in your baking adventures.
When to Use a Pie Shield
While you can purchase pie shields designed to protect pie crust from burnt edges, I find it just as easy to quickly make my own. A bit of tinfoil is really all that is needed.
You can use a pie shield in two different ways.
First, you could start baking your pie with the pie shield wrapped around the edges of the crust. You will then remove the shield in the last 10-15 minutes of baking to allow the edges to brown a bit. The downside here is that if you forget to remove the shield (or remove it too late), the pie crust might lack any browning at all.
Second, you can add a pie shield as needed. If you notice that your pie is looking rather crispy on those crust edges, you can quickly DIY a pie shield and protect the edges of pie while the filling continues to bake. I find that once I add the shield, the pie crust will stop browning immediately.
How to Make a DIY Pie Shield
You can make a DIY Pie Shield a few different ways. The only tool you will need is aluminum foil and a pair of scissors.
Cut-Out Shield
Use two sheets of foil and cut away a half circle on each sheet. Curve the pieces around the pie shell with the cut-away circles in the center of the pie. Or, fold a sheet in half, cut away a half circle, open up and manipulate as needed to fit your pie.
This works even better if you grab a spare pie plate to prepare and fit your homemade pie shield. That way you can place it on your pie quickly without removing from the oven for more than a moment or two. You can also place it while the pie is in the oven–just be very careful.
Another method: You can also fold one large sheet into quarters and cut away the middle of the square (a quarter circle). Open up the sheet to reveal a cut out circle. At this point you can squish and manipulate the foil as needed to get the exact right size.
Tinfoil Strips
Cut three strips of tinfoil (a few inches wide) from your roll of foil.
Curve them gently and place each piece around the pie covering the edges. Continue to bake.
So easy and no need to buy yet another gadget for the kitchen.
Note for a Single Crust Pie
Your goal is to completely cover the edges of the crust, without marring the filling. Custard pies (like pumpkin) or very full pie dishes are tricky.
So, use a second (empty) pie plate to help shape the foil before briefly removing the pie from the oven and placing the foil. Always use care when working with a hot oven and ask for a help if you need it.
Notes for a Double Crust Pie
You can use the same method for a double crust pie, but it’s easier since you aren’t working around a delicate filling. Either make a shield as noted above or just cut a large piece of foil bigger than the pie and gently top the entire pie with it.
Lightly press the corners downward so the foil stays put (without totally suffocating the pie). Check the pie when it’s nearly baked. If you want more browning on the crust at this point, simply remove the foil.
Tips for Blind Baking
Some recipes call for blind baking the crust. Blind baking is a pre-baking technique used for pie crusts that ensures a fully cooked and crisp base. This technique is often used for custard pies, such as pumpkin pie. Blind baking can mean partially or fully baking the crust before adding the filling.
Stella Parks has a great tip on blind baking. Simply cover a chilled crust with a sheet of foil (completely covering the edges) and fill with pie weights as usual. The sheet of foil over the edges covers the delicate edges of the pie which prevents early browning.
Additional Tips to Prevent Burnt Edges
Check Oven Temperature
Before you begin baking your pie, an essential step is to check your oven temperature. Do this by purchasing a simple oven thermometer.
Most ovens are a little bit off. You can usually get a professional to calibrate the oven, or in a pinch you can adjust the temperature until you’ve achieved the correct temperature on the oven thermometer (even though the oven itself may claim it is a different temp).
Bake One Pie at a Time
It might be tempting to stuff a pie into the oven while another pie or dish is cooking. Avoid this. Pies should be baked solo to avoid creating hot/cold spots in the oven.
Pre-heat the Oven Before Baking a Pie
Also avoid placing a pie in the oven while it is still pre-heating. You want the pie to start cooking at the exact temperature the recipe calls for.
Choose the Right Pan
The type of pan you use can significantly impact your pie. Glass and ceramic dishes distribute heat more slowly, potentially requiring a longer baking time, while metal pans conduct heat faster, which can lead to quicker browning.
Which type of pie plate should you choose? I always use glass (Pyrex) pie plates for the most even cooking and browning of the crust. Another perk of glass pie plates is that you can see how the crust is baking around the whole pie, not just the exposed edges.
