Asked by: Anonymous
The main ingredients in pastry are flour and fat. The gluten in the flour gives pastry its texture, while fat offers flavour. If the fat melts before a strong gluten structure has formed, the pastry will end up soggy. Overly moist fillings can also contribute to a soggy bottom as the liquid will drop to the bottom of the pie and ooze into the pastry. To ensure crisp pastry, the base can be blind baked before adding the filling. Alternatively, fillings should be cooled before adding to the pastry to cut down on the amount of steam, and therefore moisture, that’s produced. Cutting large slits into the lid of the pie ensures that steam can escape.
Use a sturdy, good-quality tin if you want to avoid a soggy bottom as they heat faster than flimsy ones and retain higher temperatures, which keeps pastry crisp.
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