What's the difference between parchment paper and wax paper and are either okay in this recipe?

Here are some links that identify the difference between parchment paper and wax paper. I would use parchment paper in this recipe. Wax paper could burn or smoke along the edges.

Parchment paper can be more expensive, but you can re-use the parchment paper rounds when blind baking tart shells. Keep the rounds in a bag with your dried beans or pie weights. Cheers!

I haven't tried this recipe yet, so I'm only speaking from my own experience. I've been baking pies for 30 years, and I would think that baking the pie for another 40 minutes after blind baking the crust to a golden color would result in a very burnt crust. Am I missing something?

I've done this recipe a couple of times now (still working on my crust skills), but the crust comes out a very nice golden brown, not burnt at all. The crust ends up only slightly darker at the end then it was after the blind baking.

FYI: I had to do this crust without parchment paper and the wax paper worked just fine. I did trim the paper so it didn't stick up very far, but there wasn't any smoking or anything. I did it with parchment paper today and noticed very little difference with the wax.

Everything in this (and every other good pie crust recipe) emphasises cold ingredents, cooling the crust, etc. I don't understand why cold is so important to the creation of the crust.

Cold ingredients equals a more tender and flaky crust. For a more scientific answer you may want to check out page 562 of Harold McGees book called "On Food and Cooking - the Science and Lore of the Kitchen". Cheers!

I try this recipe and it was delicious, I actually tried it with homemade pumpkin puree :). The only thing that did not came out so good was the whip cream. I am located in Mexico and I try searching a translation for heavy cream but did not have success, I though it might be what we call here media crema but I wanted to see if you know what is the exact translation or what can I use?

Look for the fat content on the package or carton. The difference is in the fat content and may vary depending on where you live. Make sure to choose something that has a minimum of 33% milk fat. In some countries, the fat content can be as high as 48%. If you try and use a light cream or even half and half to make whipping cream it will not work. Hope this helps. Cheers!

p.s. As an alternative you could use a dollop of Crema or Creme fraiche instead of whipping cream. It won't be the same but it would be good as an alternative.

I am just about to bake the pumpkin pie... The directions say to bake crust at 325, but what should the temperature of the oven be when you put the filling in?

I'm in the throws of baking Thanksgiving pies, and I'm wondering how long I can keep these crust doughs stay in the fridge. Should they be left out on the counter to warm a little before rolling out and baking? Thanks!

Hi. The crusts will be fine for a few days.

And yes, it would be good to take the pie dough out of the fridge, wrapped on the counter for about 20 minutes or so. It will be much easier to roll out. Don't let it get too warm though as cold dough will produce a flakier crust. It needs to be just warm enough to be somewhat pliable (so it doesn't crack when you roll it) but not warm so that the fat starts to soften.

Have a great T-day.
Joe

I am not sure what went wrong. The crust is perfect. The pie set up wonderful. If it was for a photo contest I would get first place... but the taste is awful, like a bad squash pie, bad is being kind. Should I have added sugar? I used carnation condensed milk, and canned pumpkin. I am so confused. I'll try it again. I had to have missed something.

On another note I am new to your site and I am LOVING IT!!! Thank you so much for creating this training series. I always wanted to go to school to learn to be a better cook, but college is expensive and includes training I don't want.. like kitchen management and business. This is perfect for the home cook and foodies that really take cooking seriously and want to gain the skills needed to go to the next level.

I am telling everyone about Rouxbe.com! Thank you!

We glad you are enjoying the site and spreading some Rouxbe love :)

In regards to the pumpkin pie, it could be the brand of puree you are using. Are you using solid pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)? Smell it and taste it to make sure you like it before using. Here is a drill-down on Pumpkin Puree.

You shouldn't need to add more sugar to this mix. The sweetened condensed milk gives the filling a nice balanced flavor. If you have time, try it again and perhaps buy a different puree to compare. It really is a nice pie. Pumpkin pie isn't one of my favorites but I don't pass up a slice on this one.

Happy Thanksgiving!

I will try again. I think I used both a bad puree and the wrong milk. I am sure my next attempt will be a success.
Enjoy the Holiday!

One of the many reasons why I love your lessons is that you explain, not only the whats, but the whys as well. I have a question: What is the advantage of using the egg yolk and vinegar with the ice water, rather than just ice water?

Thank you always for your excellent school!

Good question Kathie, in fact, someone else just asked the same question yesterday :-) Here is the link to the other thread. The egg yolk is used to enrich the dough. Happy Thanksgiving. Cheers!

Maybe my pie dishes are too steep on the sides, but when I pre-baked the crust it sunk down on the sides. Then when I took the pie weights out after the sides were set (I had pushed them back into place as much as possible, the middle rose up during the final baking. Should I have poked holes again? It seemed the first ones had sealed up. Thoughts?

I believe what you are experiencing is called shrinkage. This can happen for a couple of reasons: 1) the dough was overworked during forming; and 2) the dough was not very cold when it went into the oven. Working with pastry takes lots of practice. Just make sure for next time you work the dough just enough so that it comes together and always keep it as cold as possible when shaping. Formed pie crusts also benefit from being chilled before being baked. With regards to the pie weights, next time leave them in a bit longer until the bottom sets. I have removed them too soon in the past and the bottom bubbles. It's all about practicing :)
Hope this helps!

First pumpkin pie I've ever made and it was - for sure - the best pumpkin pie I have ever eaten! The pie crust - well - it looked like what you would see out of a magazine - was light and flaky - and I have never been able to make pie crust so always bought the shells. This alone is a huge improvement. But make it all up into this pumpkin pie and holy moly it was good. The texture was velvety smooth unlike any other pumpkin pie I've ever eaten before. I can't believe I really made this pie - wow! Thanks for turning me into the much better cook you promised I would be with my Rouxbe membership.

If I wanted to try a pie without eggs what would I substitute? could I make a whipped cream with coconut milk?
I have never used shortening what is it?
I want to make a vegan version if possible. and lastly can I use maple syrup instead of regular sugar?
Thank you.

i love the techniques and how easy it is to view these recipes

We have not tried this pie without eggs: therefore, you would have to experiment to see how it works for you.

As for making a whipped cream with coconut milk, unfortunately, you cannot just whip coconut milk and get the same results as you when you whip heavy cream.

Here is a more information on "What is Shortening?"

As for making a vegan pie, again, this is a different recipe and you cannot just simply leave out the dairy. You may want to search online for a vegan pumpkin pie recipe.

As for using maple syrup instead of sugar, sometimes it can be substituted but it does depend on the recipe and or how you are substituting it.

Cheers!

I've always used Crisco as shortening but am having difficulty getting it into cubes. Are you using sticks of margarine? Haven't bought that in years but might consider...I'm known as the pie queen around here but want to try another crust for fun. All your other recipes are more than good so I'm venturing into an area that has already been successful. We had our Thanksgiving a couple of weeks ago so this is an experiment and know that none of you should be answering any questions today!! Happy Thanksgiving to each of you!

We used Crisco shortening in this recipe because it adds great flakiness to the crust (part butter is used for flavor). Both are placed in the freezer prior to using to firm them up. Happy Thanksgiving! Cheers!

I made this pie for Thanksgiving. It came out great.

Here are some general comments if you're interested:

1. I used evaporated milk and added my own sugar (3/4 cup), as another person commented earlier. The sweetened condensed milk at my grocery store was sourced from another country not known for its rigorous food inspections. It made me a little nervous.

2. I doubled the recipe to make two pies. I knew it would take me at least two attempts to get the crust rolled out properly :) I had to patch my crusts in a few places after I had rolled it out -- it felt like an art project. Also, after I blind baked the crusts, one developed a few small holes. It didn't make much difference once everything was baked.

3. I made the dough the night before and stored overnight in the fridge in plastic wrap. It was too much to try to make everything on turkey day.

4. I used organic non-hydrogenated vegetable shortening from the local health food store. Not sure if it's any healthier than regular shortening, but it worked well.

5. The pie filling was a bit looser than what was shown in the video. It was much more like a liquid than a paste. It cooked well, although the top wasn't as perfectly smooth as shown here. It had a few small cracks. I'm not sure if doubling the recipe or using the different milk could account for that. I also wonder if I didn't let it simmer long enough. Thoughts?

6. I had some leftover pie filling and baked it in a ramekin in the toaster oven. It wasn't bad and let me "taste the pie" without making a dent in the real pies. For those that want to stay away from gluten/flour, that might be the way to go. The pie tastes much better cold than it does hot. My family sampled the ramekin "pie" almost out of the oven, and it was not great.

I thought pie crusts would be very hard, but your technique (and the right tools) made it simple. I just wish there was a way to speed up the whole crust process -- making dough, chilling, blind baking, etc. It's best to spread it out over a couple of days if you don't have lots of time.

Thanks for listening!