Sometimes, you might end up with an undercooked apple pie after all the time and money into cooking it. While this can be disappointing (especially if you’re hosting a dinner party), there are ways you can save your dessert by following the step-by-step guide in this article on how to fix an undercooked apple pie to get back to that perfect slice of apple pie you imagined when you set out to bake it.
To fix an undercooked apple pie, bake it longer at a lower temperature, baste the top with soft butter, then sprinkle cinnamon and sugar mixture. Add another layer of crust on top of the uncooked apples, then bake the top until it turns golden brown. It gives it a crunchy, crispy texture that pairs nicely with the soft, warm apple filling. With these steps, you can create a pie that not only tastes delicious but looks perfect.
Ruined undercooked pies result from the addition of sugar, which effectively sets the structure of the preparation. Sweetening undercooked pies with sugar is a fallacy that a good cook should never indulge in if the objective is to make a quality dish.
How to fix an undercooked apple pie
1. Preheated the oven
If you want the bottom crust of your pie to be crispy, make sure you preheat (or “blind bake”) your pie pan before adding your pie dough. If you’re going to use a deep-dish pie plate, preheat the entire oven before placing your dough in the pan.
Are you having trouble getting your pie crust to toast up golden-brown? Make sure you know what temperature setting your oven is at before putting the pie in. If the temperature is too high, you could burn your crust before it cooks through; if it’s too low, your crust will take forever to brown.
2. Don’t bake at high temperatures.
When you bake apple pie at too high a temperature, it may come out undercooked in the center. It is because apples contain pectin, which expands when heated. If pectin has been released before fully cooking a pie, it can leave some parts of the pie soggy. To stop this, try to reduce the baking time or lower the oven temperature to prevent over-browning of the crust.
3. Use a Pyrex glass pan.
Your pie can end up a little less than perfect in the finished product, especially when baking with a metal pan instead of a Pyrex glass pan. With this pan, you can see through the bottom of the pan as it is transparent for you to see through it.
4. Use ice-cold water and refrigerated butter.
Ice-cold water and refrigerated butter are the keys to ensuring the pie crust stays nice and flaky and not tough. Always use ice-cold water and refrigerated butter; stir with a fork and not your fingers. The butter will solidify on contact with the extremely cold water, thickening the pie filling and helping to alleviate sogginess.
You can be sure that your pie will turn out perfectly. That means your apple pie will be soft but not mushy; it’ll retain good shape and bake evenly.
5. Cut the apples into small and thin pieces.
Apples tend to become too mushy if baked in large pieces, so it’s best to cut apple slices across the width of the apple to prevent them from disappearing into the pie during baking. The trick to making the perfect apple pie is cutting all of your ingredients to the same size so that they cook evenly.
An undercooked pie is more than just an unfinished dessert—it’s a wasted opportunity. Cut your apples into small and thin pieces before you start baking for the best results.
How to fix too much butter in pie crust
The first thing to do is to chill your pie shell completely before you begin to fill it. That way, if the butter leaks as you pour it into the shell, you won’t end up with a soggy mess or misshapen crust. After you pour in the filling, gently press the dough around the edges of the pie with your fingers. The heat emanating from your hands will melt a little of the cold butter and stick it to the sides of the pie pan. Also, don’t crimp or pinch the edges.
Use a paper towel by wetting it with some water, and then pat the top of the pie crust. It will absorb some of the butter that is overflowing. You can also cut back the crust to just over 1-inch in height. Brush the edge with a bit of cold water and then sprinkle on some flour—re-roll, place back in the pie pan, and rebake.
How to fix shrinking pie crust
To cook a perfect and not shrinking pie crust pastry, you must preheat your oven and blind bake for the first 15 minutes. It allows the dough to start drying out and prevents any moisture from seeping through to the filling, causing the pie crust to shrink or be soggy.
There are three to take into consideration when making a pie crust.
First, you must make sure that all of the ingredients are at room temperature before making the dough; this makes them easier to mix. Secondly, you do not necessarily need to use ice water in the dough; cold water will work just fine while you do not want it to be lukewarm.
And finally, adding vodka or another neutral alcohol will help toughen up your crust; feel free to add anywhere from 1 tablespoon up to 1/2 cup (2 oz) (60 ml) depending on how big your recipe is. This process will prevent your pie crust from shrinking.
How to keep pie crust from slumping
Prevent unwanted slumping in pie dough by putting a pan of water on the lower rack of your oven while preheating. The moisture will loosen the starch in the dough to help it keep its shape even when cool.
If your kitchen is too warm, it can cause the butter and flour to become soft and sticky. Mixing the dough too much can also result in a tough crust. In addition, if you add fresh herbs, they need to be dry before being chopped, or they’ll turn the dough green.
Other tips to avoiding soggy crusts are to start with a good pie dough recipe, such as the one on this page, refrain from overworking the dough, and bake your pie on a rimmed baking sheet or on a pizza stone to keep the bottom crust from getting soggy.
Also, if you want to freeze unbaked filled pies, first line your pie plate with parchment paper and fill according to the recipe, but don’t seal the dough. Freeze the unbaked filled pies wrapped in plastic wrap. When ready to bake, unwrap the frozen-filled pies.
Many bakers make the mistake of rolling pie crust too thin. It may look flaky and attractive at first, but it will slump over the filling like a soggy pancake within minutes. It happens because flour absorbs moisture from the filling, expanding as it does so. And if pie dough is rolled too thin, the expanded gluten strands can’t fully support that expansion.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you Rebake an undercooked apple pie?
Yes. It’s all about knowing the kind of oven, the particular ingredients, and what temperature to set it to. An oven that could bake your pies at 500 degrees will give you a perfect crispy and flaky crust when you rebake.
Can I Rebake a soggy pie?
You can rebake a soggy pie. Pies sitting around at very warm temperatures for a long time will have a crust that is much softer than it should be. The way to fix a soggy pie is to put it in the oven at 450 degrees F for 10 minutes to allow the center of the pie to bake/cook successfully. It will allow you to produce a strong crust even though the center has been soggy.
How do I stop the bottom of my pie being soggy?
We recommend putting the pie tin on top of sheets of newspaper, kitchen towels, or your baking paper before cooking. Make sure the surface underneath is not too thick. Otherwise, this may cause your crust to be soggy. You can also cook your pie on another shelf of the oven (not on the bottom shelf), which will provide good air circulation around the bottom of the pie base, which helps in keeping it crisp.
Should you poke holes in bottom of pie crust?
No. The idea that you should poke holes in the bottom of a pie crust to vent steam is a myth. Poking holes in the bottom of your crust will allow steam to build up and cause it to collapse when the pie goes into the hot oven.
What happens if you put too much butter in a pie crust?
Too much butter to the crust results in steam venting out between the layers of crust, equalizing the pressure and causing the bottom layer to lose its structural integrity and become wet and weighed down.
Conclusion
Baking apple pie is an art. One tiny step over the line, and your masterpiece becomes a mess. That is the case with baked goods, particularly desserts. If you just set out to bake apple pie without understanding the science behind it, your chance of success will be low. The tips we have shared on how to fix an undercooked apple pie can help you achieve success in baking it.
Equipment
- The Oven
Ingredients
- 1 recipe for double pie crust
- 1/4 lbs Granny Smith Apples
- 1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 8 Tbsp unsalted butter
- 3 Tbsp all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup water
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 egg
- 1 Tbsp water
Instructions
- While making the filling, prepare the pie dough according to the recipe and refrigerate. Set the oven to 425°F.
- In a medium saucepan set over medium heat, melt the butter. Add 3 tablespoons of flour and stir continuously while simmering for 1 minute. Bring to a boil while whisking in 1/4 cup water and 1 cup sugar. Reduce heat, simmer for an additional three minutes while whisking regularly, and then turn off the heat.
- Seven cups of apples, peeled, cored, and thinly sliced, should be put in a big basin. 1 1/2 teaspoons of cinnamon should be sprinkled over the top and combined. After adding the sauce to the apples, toss them to evenly distribute the coating.
- Roll out the bottom pie crust to a circle of 12″ in diameter after flouring your work surface. Transferring it to the 9″ pie plate requires wrapping it around your rolling pin. A tiny mound should be created in the center of the apple mixture before adding it. Avoid getting filling on the edges as this will make it difficult to seal.
- Using a pizza cutter, roll the second crust into an 11″ round and cut it into 10 evenly sized strips. Over the top, arrange the strips in a woven lattice pattern (see video tutorial). Brush the top with the egg mixture, which you’ll have beaten with 1 Tbsp. water.
- Bake at 425˚F in the center of the oven for 15 minutes. Reduce the heat to 350˚F and continue baking another 45 minutes or until apples are soft and filling is bubbling through the vents.* Rest at room temp 1 hour before serving.
Video
Nutrition
My blog is all about creating delicious meals with ingredients that are easy to find in your local grocery store. I’m passionate about making yummy meals that I can share with my friends and family.