I wish I had kept a tally of every pie I’ve made since that very first one in 2016. But as I never expected pie to become such a thing in my life, I simply have to guestimate that I’ve made over a thousand in my home kitchen since then. When you do anything that many times, you naturally acquire a few tips and tricks along the way. Here are some you may find useful in your own pie-jinks.
MAKING DOUGH: Pie dough maintains a reputation as finicky and difficult, but with these recipes and some repetition, anyone can master a flaky crust.
Keep your ingredients cold and, whenever possible, your environment, too. Be assertive (dough can sense fear), but don’t be overinvolved. Unlike bread-making, pie dough does not require any kneading and, in fact, overworking the dough with too much touching can lead to a tough crust.
Use your instincts. If the recipe calls for 4 tablespoons water but the dough is still feeling dry and crumbly, add a bit more liquid. Crust yourself, and with some confidence and practice, you’ll be well on your way to flying pie.
If you’re just starting out on your pie journey and want to assess the quality of your dough before getting too far in the process, cut the dough disk in half (before the resting period) and check for stacks of striated layers. These foreshadow a future baked crust full of gorgeous flakes! Then gently press the halves back together, wrap in plastic, and rest before rolling as directed.
COLORING DOUGH: This book includes an array of formulas for making colored pie dough in basic colors, but experimenting with different juices and powders to achieve more sophisticated hues is highly encouraged. Keep proportions in mind, though, as dough only requires so much liquid and adding significantly more powder will deepen the color but also affect the final texture of the crust.
ROLLING DOUGH: I roll out my pie dough directly on the counter, so flouring the surface and my rolling pin before and during the rolling process is crucial. I continuously rotate my dough 45 degrees as I roll to ensure it isn’t sticking to the counter, and when I have achieved the desired size I transfer the dough to parchment. If you’re rolling and the dough isn’t moving outward, it’s probably stuck to your work surface. Gently pull or scrape it up, flour the surface, and resume. Alternatively, you can roll dough directly on parchment paper or a pastry cloth made of cotton canvas.
Rotating the dough 45 or 90 degrees every few rolls can also help with achieving even circles and rectangles. Consistently obtaining nicely shaped rolled dough largely comes with repetition and practice, though, so don’t stress too much if you’re a beginner and find yourself rolling cumulus clouds or other gorgeous blobs instead.
CUTTING STRIPS: Always make sure your rolled-out dough is on a sheet of parchment before you cut strips. If they end up in an inconvenient spot on your counter or start to get warm and mushy, it’s nearly impossible to move them without marring the strips’ crisp lines. With parchment, it’s easy to slide a baking sheet underneath to stick in the fridge at a moment’s notice.
If you are right-handed like me, you’ll find it easiest to start from the right side of the rectangle and work your way left. I also prefer to run my pastry wheel bottom to top, but find the rhythm that works best for you.
When you’re using a ruler to align topping elements or to draw a line with a toothpick, use slight pressure (but not so much as to leave indentations in the dough) to hold it in place. I usually outstretch my left hand so my middle finger secures the top of the ruler and the bottom with my thumb. This prevents the ruler from sliding around and ensures straight and even strips.
I never measure the width of each individual strip because I only possess so much insanity (contrary to popular belief). Eyeballing and approximating each strip is the path of least resistance and will save time, but uniformity plays a key role in the visual impact of your final design, so try to make them as even and consistent as possible.
FREEZING PIES AND DOUGH: Wrapped and rested disks of pie dough can be sealed in a bag or container and frozen for up to 4 months. Let the dough thaw in the refrigerator overnight before rolling.
If you are freezing a complete pie to bake at a later date, place the pie on a level surface in the freezer for 1 hour to set the design completely, then wrap tightly in several layers of plastic and label with the flavor and date. Do not thaw the pie before baking, and add 30 to 45 minutes to the total baking time. (A handful of pies in this book are not suitable for freezing. Notes have been included in the recipes for these specific cases.)
BAKING PIES
EGG WASHING: For pies that utilize the Basic or Whole Wheat Cheddar Chive dough, an egg wash can add an extra dimension of deep golden shine that is hard to resist. Note: I rarely egg wash colored doughs to preserve the vibrancy of the color.
Milk: brown matte finish
Egg white: clear and shiny finish
One whole egg: yellow and shiny finish
One whole egg with a splash of heavy cream: deep golden shiny finish
BLIND BAKING: Some pie fillings (like Curls of Wisdom and Once in a Tile) require a shorter bake time than it takes to fully bake the crust. Blind baking ensures the dough is cooked through and crisp while not overcooking your filling. Freeze your pie dough solid in the tin, line tightly with foil, and fill up the sides with pie weights for best results.
BAKING TEMPERATURE: I always bake pies at a higher heat for the first 20 to 25 minutes to help set the design. Then I turn the heat down to allow the filling to cook through without scorching the crust. If the crust edges are browning rapidly, cover with a shield. If the entire pie top is browning too quickly, lightly rest a sheet of foil on the surface and remove for the last 5 to 10 minutes of baking to allow the crust to cook through.
The vibrancy of the colored pie doughs will fade a bit during the baking process. I like to bake at lower heat (as compared to pies with plain dough where deep golden is the goal) to help preserve the color. The higher the heat and the longer you bake the pie, the more the color will fade. If you find the color of your dough diminishing early on in its bake, resting a sheet of foil over the top of the pie can help staunch the fade.
BAKING TIME FOR FRUIT PIES: Baking pies with fresh fruit can be occasionally unpredictable. You may have a batch of berries or cherries that are particularly juicy, especially crops at peak season. The filling recipes in this book don’t call for maceration (tossing the fruit in sugar to release its juices) and then reduction of those juices since it adds an extra few steps to an often already long process, so the total baking time can be variable. I’ve provided recommended time ranges here to serve as a guide, but do supplement with following your instincts. If you’ve reached the high end of the timing range and the filling isn’t yet bubbling through the center or the dough still looks undercooked, keep baking!
CUTTING BAKED PIES: Exercise supreme self-control and allow pies to cool completely before cutting to achieve cleaner slices. Some pie fillings are juicier than others, but if you cut into a pie while still hot, it will be soup!
PIE CRACKERS AND PIE COOKIES: Surplus dough scraps can also be gently pressed into a ball (do not knead), wrapped tightly in plastic, and chilled before re-rolling once as marbled dough. Or (bonus snack incentive alert!), the scraps can be placed on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and baked at 350°F until cooked through and crisp, 10 to 20 minutes depending on the size and thickness of the scraps. There is plenty of flexibility for customization here. The scraps can be egg washed and sprinkled with demerara sugar for crunch. They can be baked bare and tossed hot in cinnamon sugar right out of the oven. They can even be egg washed and sprinkled with freshly grated Parmesan cheese and herbs as savory morsels!
#YEAHBUTWHATDOESITLOOKLIKEBAKED: I first got into pie design primarily motivated by the art of it, so initially, I only showcased pies in all their pristine pre-bake glory. Yes, ultimately all the pies I make get baked, and of course baking alters the final product. If I sat in a 400°F oven for 90 minutes, I’d certainly come out changed. Still, I feel that the transformation of an art piece does not detract from its aesthetic value at any point of its process, so the crisp precision and sharp colors of the design before it goes in the oven can still be appreciated. Even if the lines become blurred and the colors more muted.
I quickly learned that people have a lot of feelings about this. While the response to Lokokitchen has largely been positive, I’ve also received numerous vitriolic messages, emails, and in-person lectures invalidating my work and denouncing me as a fraud because of the pre-bake/baked debate. Pieometry critics also decry the effort that goes into crafting designs that ultimately mutate as a complete waste of time.
To these ends, I recommend having a glass of wine and channeling that energy into other issues of greater import. If you’ve ever wondered about the #yeahbutwhatdoesitlooklikebaked hashtag, that was my other response. But mainly, I have this to say: I make these pies because I enjoy the process. It’s soothing and meditative and creative and fun, and it’s a way for me to combine my love of art, baking, and feeding those around me into one marvelous pastime. I hope that whatever you get out of it—because sometimes it’s about the destination and sometimes it’s the journey—also brings you joy.