Making a perfect pie crust is both art and science. It can take some practice to unlock this skill, but assembling the dough is only part of the equation. The rest comes down to properly baking it, and one simple technique that can help ensure a better bake is docking, the culinary term for poking holes in a pie crust. Here’s what you need to know.
Docking can be called for in recipes where par- or blind-baking the crust is required. This can be the case for single-crust pies — never double-crust pies, such as your standard apple — in which the filling is cooked only for a short time, such as quiche, or does not go into the oven at all, such as pudding pies.
With docking, the holes allow steam to escape, so the crust should stay flat against the baking dish when it isn’t held down by pie weights or a filling. Otherwise the crust can puff up, not only impacting appearance but also leaving you with less space for whatever filling you have planned.
I should also point out that you don’t need to dock your pie crust at all. Pastry expert Stella Parks recommends blind-baking rolled crusts low and slow, weighed down by sugar the entire time instead of removing the weight partway through a shorter cook time as other recipes instruct. While Parks’s method eliminates a step — I love streamlined cooking! — it requires double the baking time, which you might want to avoid, particularly during the summer.
If and when it comes time to dock, there are tools you can purchase, but a fork works just fine. After you’ve formed and crimped the crust into your pie plate or tart pan, simply use the tines of a fork to prick holes all over. (Don’t forget the sides!) Then proceed with baking as instructed, leaving you with a pristine, crisp crust for all of your pie and tart needs.
FAQs
After you've formed and crimped the crust into your pie plate or tart pan, simply use the tines of a fork to prick holes all over. (Don't forget the sides!) Then proceed with baking as instructed, leaving you with a pristine, crisp crust for all of your pie and tart needs.
When should you dock a pie crust and why? ›
Before returning to the oven without the weights, you need to prick the bottom crust with a fork to prevent it from puffing up. Pricking holes in pie crust is also called “docking” the pie crust.
What would happen if you did not dock your pie crust? ›
Docking a pie crust allows the steam from the baking crust to escape in a controlled fashion. You know us pastry people are all about control and this is no different. Without docking, the crust will puff up irregularly even if blind baking with weights.
Is it worth making pie crust? ›
Homemade pie crusts are about a thousand times more flavorful, flaky, and tender than the store-bought kind. It takes a little bit of extra work to get a perfect pie crust, but it absolutely does not need to be as intimidating as it may seem.
Is it best to chill a pie crust before baking? ›
Chill in the fridge for 30 minutes, or up to overnight. Tip: Chilling hardens the fat in the dough, which will help the crust maintain its structure as it bakes. And the short rest before rolling relaxes the dough's gluten, helping prevent a tough crust.
What is the most important rule in making a pie crust? ›
PIE DOUGH RULES
As important as not overmixing is staying chilled, literally!! That means keeping all elements cold— your counter, ingredients, hands, heart (just kidding!). No, but seriously, cut up your butter into little cubes and chill them before you incorporate them into the flour.
What is one thing you should not do when making pie crust? ›
The Most Common Pie Crust Mistakes (And Ways To Avoid Them)
- The ingredients are too warm. ...
- The pie dough is overworked from excessive mixing or rolling. ...
- The pie dough isn't given enough time to relax and chill. ...
- The pie dough is shrinking down the sides of the pan.
This can be tricky - if you are fully blind baking the pie crust, you need to remember that this is your only shot to bake it, so make sure that you take it far enough so that it is not soggy. The crust is fully baked when it is evenly golden brown, and the surface is nice and dry.
How to get the bottom crust of a pie to brown? ›
Prebaking — baking the pie crust before adding the filling — is your answer. Bake your crust, add the filling, and bake until the filling is done. I promise you, the crust won't burn on the bottom; the filling will insulate it.
What is the number 2 most important thing when making pie crust? ›
#2—Add cold water
Add the ice water gradually to the dough, about one tablespoon or so at a time, and stop when the dough is just moist enough to hold together when a handful is squeezed.
“My preferred fat for pie crusts will always be butter. To me, it is all about flavor, and no other fat gives flavor to a crust like butter does. Other fats, even though they have great pros, lack flavor,” De Sa Martins said. “The more flavorful the butter, the more flavor your pie crust will have,” Huntsberger added.
What is the secret to a good pie crust? ›
1. Use Very Cold Butter or Fat. Butter, shortening, lard, or suet—whatever fat the recipe calls for should be well-chilled and cut into small pieces to start with for the flakiest crust in the end. The fat in a pie crust must maintain some of its integrity in the dough to make the crust truly flaky.
What is the purpose of docking pastry? ›
Q: What is meant by “docking” or to “dock” the dough when baking? A: Docking the dough is simply a fancy way of saying prick the dough all over with a fork. This technique helps the steam to escape, preventing pesky air bubbles from ruining your perfectly flat pastry base, while also helping it to bake more evenly.
What happens if you don't let pie crust rest? ›
2) Let the pastry rest and chill before rolling it out
This step accomplishes two things: It ensures the fat is cold, which encourages pastry that's flaky rather than crumbly. And it gives the gluten in the flour a chance to relax, making it easier to roll (and less likely to shrink later on).
When would you need to dock puff pastry? ›
but flaky dough. Just placing the dough on a sheet and baking, resulting a tall pastry with large air pockets. One way to prevent this is to dock the pastry dough. by poking small holes over the entire surface.
When to blind bake pie crust? ›
Taking this step ensures you'll never have to deal with post-bake raw pie dough or an overcooked filling. Not all pie recipes require it, though: Blind baking serves a purpose when the pie filling requires a shorter bake time than the crust or when the filling is cold-set, meaning it isn't baked at all.
