Wet pie fillings + raw dough are a tricky combination. If the bottom crust doesn't set before the filling soaks in, it's going to be gummy. A metal pie pan placed on a preheated surface will set the bottom crust quickest; once cooked, the liquids from the filling above won't soak in, and as a result: no soggy bottom.
A lot of times, the top crust on a pie will cook faster than the bottom. If your bottom crust is underdone, cover the top with foil so it doesn't burn, and throw your pie back in the oven at 425ºF to 450ºF for about 12 minutes.
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.
Prebaking your crust partway is a sensible solution for this scenario. To fully prebake the crust, prick the bottom all over with a fork to prevent bubbles. Return the crust to the oven and bake for an additional 20 to 25 minutes, until it's golden all over.
If you need a fully baked pie crust, bake until the bottom crust is golden brown, about 14–15 minutes longer. For a partially baked pie crust (if you're baking the pie once it is filled, like a quiche), bake until the bottom crust is just beginning to brown, about 7–8 minutes.
A metal pie pan placed on a preheated surface will set the bottom crust quickest; once cooked, the liquids from the filling above won't soak in, and as a result: no soggy bottom. (Using metal is crucial: Glass or ceramic pans don't transfer heat as efficiently, so they can be accomplices to a sad, soggy bottom.)
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.
Bake it Blind
This simply means that you bake the crust—either fully if you are adding a custard or cream, or partially if the whole pie needs to bake—before adding the filling. To avoid the crust from bubbling up, you can place a piece of parchment paper and weigh it down with pie weights before placing in the oven.
Whether you are baking an empty pie crust for a cream pie, or baking a heavy double-crusted fruit pie, bake your pies on the lowest oven rack. There are two reasons for this tip as well: It gives the bottom crust, especially in pies with wet fillings, the best possible opportunity to bake through.
Getting a brown, flaky/crispy bottom crust on your pie is all about quick and effective heat transfer. That's why aluminum or aluminum/steel pans — rather than glass or stoneware — are your best choice for baking pie. Metal, especially aluminum, transfers heat quickly and efficiently from oven to pie crust.
Docking a pie crust allows the steam from the baking crust to escape in a controlled fashion. You know us pastry people are all about control and this is no different. Without docking, the crust will puff up irregularly even if blind baking with weights.
Baking Tips
You may want to brush a mixture of egg white and water over the crust before returning it to the oven. This seals the crust and prevents the filling from making it soggy.
Add pie weights, dry rice, dried beans or (as I've done here) dry wheat berries, enough to fill the pan 2/3 full. Chill the crust for 30 minutes; this will solidify the fat, which helps prevent shrinkage. Bake in a preheated 375°F oven for 20 minutes. Remove the pie from the oven, and lift out the paper and weights.
Whether the pie crust should be thick-and-chewy or thin-and-crispy is a matter of personal preference. But what's not up for debate is the fact that most pie recipes turn out better if the crust is pre-baked.
Line the base and sides of an uncooked pastry case with non-stick baking paper. Fill with rice, dried beans, or metal or ceramic baking weights. (This stops the pastry base rising during cooking.) Place on a baking tray and cook in an oven preheated to 220C for 8-10 minutes.
The simple answer is, typically, no. My homemade recipe noted above has more than enough fat in it to keep it from sticking. If you are using a storebought pie crust, I would recommend giving your pan a light spritz of cooking spray or brush with a little softened butter- don't do it on either.
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.
Meanwhile the term 'soggy bottom' was coined by The Great British Bake Off stars Paul Hollywood and Mary Berry in 2010 to describe an under-cooked base of a pie or a filling which is too moist.
If you are pre-baking a store-bought frozen packaged crust, I recommend following the directions on the package for how to pre-bake that particular crust. Most instructions will have you defrost the crust, prick the bottom of the crust all over with the tines of a fork, and bake at 375°F to 450°F for 10 to 12 minutes.
Tip: What's the best way to tell if your pie is done? For fruit pie, the top crust will be golden brown, and you'll be able to see filling bubbling around the edges and/or through the vents. For best results, let the filling bubble for at least 5 minutes before removing the pie from the oven.
1. Preheat the oven to the temperature that your recipe recommends. Most fruit pies bake at a temperature between 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) and 450 degrees F (230 degrees C). Some recipes call for baking the pie in a 450 degree F oven to begin with, then turning down the oven to about 350 degrees F.