May, 2006

Question:  I've always used foil to cover the edge of my pie crust so it doesn't burn. I've seen pie shields for sale (made of various materials - non-stick, aluminum and silicone). Has anyone tried them? Do you find they work well? If so, which material do you recommend? I find the foil to be a bit of a pain, so if there's something easier, I'll definitely switch. Thanks!

Answer:  I find the pie shield very useful when I make my pumpkin pie, because the crust is in the oven so long. The one-piece is the way to go; the multi-piece shield (I had one briefly) is just as big a pain as using foil. The pieces don't stay together well at all.

The one I use is just plain aluminum and it's easy to use. Just set it gently over the top of the pie. Only once did I have some filling stick to it (when I overfilled the pie). I soaked it while I washed everything else first, and it came clean with no scrubbing. (Astarte)