How to Bake Pies in Aluminum Pie Pans

Premade crust often comes in its own aluminum pan.

Pie-making is a talent that anyone willing to practice can develop. The secret to a flaky, tender crust lies just as much in the pan selection as the recipe. While many bakers prefer glass and enamel pie pans, you can substitute aluminum pans with great success. Aluminum pans are particularly handy for potlucks and similar events because they can be discarded afterward. Many store-bought pie crusts also come in their own aluminum pans.

Things You'll Need

• Pie pan
• Prepared pie crust
• Filling
• Fork
• Pie weights

Instructions

1. Fold a rolled-out pie crust into quarters. Set the triangle of dough in the aluminum pan with the point in the center. Unfold the dough so it drapes over the entire pie plate, then trim and fold under the edges of the dough.

2. Place the filling in the pie if it is a cooked filling. For cold fillings, poke holes in the bottom and sides of the crust with a fork then place pie weights in the crust so it doesn't collapse while cooking.

3. Bake the crust at the temperature indicated in the recipe and set the timer to five minutes less than the recommended cooking time. Check the crust when the timer goes off and remove the pie if the crust is golden brown. If not, leave to cook for an additional five minutes. Pies baked in aluminum pans are prone to overcooking, so watch it closely during the last few minutes of cooking time.

Tips & Warnings

• If you don't have pie weights, cut the rim off a second aluminum pie tin. Set this in the pie crust before baking to keep it from collapsing.

• Only use aluminum pans with a satin or matte finish. Shiny aluminum tends to cause burning as it over-reflects the heat onto the crust.

References

• University of Kentucky Extension: Pies and Cobblers