How to Avoid a Slumped, Sad Pie Crust

by Hannah Klinger

No shortage of home bakers have witnessed the Great Piecrust Disappearing Act-dough that looks perfect in the pan but contracts in the oven.  The problem: too much gluten. The gluten in dough can become like rubber bands stretched to their limit: too much strain, and the proteins snap back into a tangled heap. You need some gluten for structure, but you need to treat it gently. By the way, even packaged pie dough can shrink.

The solution: Relax your dough. It's tempting to work homemade dough into a cohesive ball, but this over develops gluten. The dough should just hold together when squeezed in the palm of your hand, with bits of fat visible throughout. Form the dough into a disk, wrap, and chill at least 20 minutes-this lets the gluten unwind.

To form the pie shell, gentry roll the dough into a circle larger than the pan, at least 12 inches, and then trim and flute. Stretching a too small circle to fit the pan will stretch the gluten.

Chill the pie shell before filling. (If you feel you've stretched purchased dough, chill it, too; this will relax the gluten and help prevent shrinkage.)  The fat, still solid from the fridge, will melt and steam in the oven, creating delicious flaky layers.