Metal are the best - they transfer heat most effectively. Glass pans are useful for seeing doneness. Ceramic ones are beautiful but not as good for getting the crust right, especially when you're learning.
If you're a beginner pie baker, a glass pan may be the best choice, so you're able to gauge the level of browning most easily.
With their unique ability to circulate hot air, convection ovens ensure your pies are baked evenly, giving you that perfect golden crust every time.
The Bottom Line
Glass pie pans are the way to go for the best pies, but it doesn't mean you can't bake pies in ceramic, steel, or aluminum pans, too. It just might take a little longer to get the flakiest crust in these other types of pans.
Convection ovens are one of the most common pieces of commercial bakery equipment. They do a great job of quickly baking, using internal fans to circulate the air and create even browning.
I swear by an inexpensive heavy-duty aluminum pie pan to bake my pies. (My go-to is @fatdaddios.) ✓ Aluminum conducts heat well, they're inexpensive, sturdy, and reliably give me a well-baked pie with no soggy bottom. ✓ Pyrex or glass doesn't conduct heat as well, which increases your cooking time.
It's always a good idea to bake pies on a baking sheet. Not only does it make it easier to get the pies in and out of the oven, but a sheet pan will catch any filling that bubbles over. It's much easier to clean a foil lined baking sheet than the bottom of your oven.
A pie's place in the oven is on the bottom rack. The worst mistake you can make with your pie is under-baking the bottom crust—it makes for a soggy, doughy mess. Baking your pie on the bottom rack will ensure that bottom crust gets nice and golden brown. Speaking of which: bake your pie in a glass pie dish.
Reducing the oven temperature after about 15 minutes allows the pie to bake fully without danger of burning. However, if the edge of the crust looks like it's browning too quickly towards the end of the bake, cover it with a pie shield or strips of aluminum foil.
Crafted from high-quality Pyrex® borosilicate glass, this dish combines timeless elegance with durability. Perfect for sweet or savory pies, it lets you easily monitor your baking progress.
Blind-bake your base before adding a filling to help to firm the base and avoid liquid being absorbed into it. Prick the base with a fork to help steam escape, cover with foil or parchment, and weigh it down with ceramic baking beans, uncooked rice or white sugar.
Our Favorite Pie Pan
Overall, the Pyrex Basics 9-Inch Pie Plate earned our top spot due to its even heat conduction, transparent design, and ease of releasing our crusts. It's also inexpensive, durable, and reliable.
Spraying your pie pan with cooking spray or greasing the pan might change the texture of the bottom of the crust, so if you're not going to remove the whole pie from the dish before serving and it doesn't have a sticky, messy filling, it's more than okay to refrain from greasing the pan.
First, refrigerated pie crusts should be baked in glass pie plates. A dark pan will cause too much browning while a shiny pan will prevent your pie from achieving the golden-brown crust that makes apple pie irresistible.
When in doubt, consider the middle rack an actual happy medium for baking. The center oven rack is best for: Desserts, such as cookies, pies and cakes.
Glass heats up gently and evenly, priming the pie for a consistent, but slightly slower bake than metal delivers—factor in additional baking time. It is also relatively inexpensive and light, which makes it the perfect in-between pie pan for anyone just building their cookware collection.
Go with either parchment paper or aluminum foil to line the pie, making sure it's snug against the bottom and sides. Pour the pie weights in; they should fully cover the bottom. Using your hands, press them against the sides as well. Bake the crust.
Metal pie pans bake up the most even crusts, since metal is a great thermal conductor. While stoneware can bake up a good pie, the material isn't as conductive and retains heat better, which can result in less evenly browned crusts.
During cooking, using worn or pitted aluminum pots and pans can transfer aluminum to food more easily. Leafy vegetables and acidic foods, such as tomatoes and citrus products, absorb the most aluminum from cookware.
Remove from outer packaging, leaving the pie in the foil. Pre heat oven to 180°C fan assisted, gas mark 6. Place pie onto a baking tray and cook in the centre of the oven for 15 minutes. Remove pie from foil and return to the oven for a further 15-20 min or until the pastry is golden.
Martha loves the sensible design of the Viking oven with French doors. It opens easily with one hand—and prevents any chance of burning her elbows on a pulled-down door.
Kitmens created KM-K065, a digital conventional oven that is the best oven for baking. It is user-friendly, and it is a combination of tradition and modernity. The oven price is affordable, with plenty of useful features that are suitable for your baking style.
FAQs: Gas and Electric Ovens
Many chefs prefer gas ovens for their faster heat-up times and better moisture retention, especially when cooking meats. However, for baking, electric ovens are often favored because of their even heat distribution.