Having once been a professional cake decorator, I know that fashioning a good-looking cake required the proper tools, or accessories, if you will. I invested a tidy sum in all the accoutrements required of my craft. My scads of decorating implements included pans of every shape and size, dozens of jars of icing dyes and pastry bags, rolls of parchment paper, over a hundred piping tips, and stacks of books and magazines containing recipes and photos of cake masterpieces.
Does the humble pie, on the other hand, require all this frou-frou? Not in my humble opinion. But upon further research, it appears there are pie accessories galore. A pie may not command the stage like a 5-tier cake embellished with colorful swirls and fanciful toppers, but a pie does require some behind the scenes touch ups to make it presentable. Below is a list of practical pie making items all of which are designed to help create not only tasty pies, but eye-catching ones as well.
Pie pans: the classic size is 9" in diameter, 1" deep. Deep dish pie pans are 9 1/2" in diameter and about 1 3/4" deep. These two sizes are the most common. An extra deep dish pie pan is 10" but most recipes don't call for this size. Pans are available in glass, metal or ceramic. I prefer Pyrex clear tempered glass but a heavy metal pan works well, too. Ceramic pie pans are available in different colors and designs. Knowing my penchant for collecting dishes, I will need to exercise great restraint in buying every pretty pie plate I see. Stay clear of disposable aluminum pans. They don't disperse heat well and aren't very sturdy. And they are just plain ugly.
Pie weights: these are either individual ceramic beads or a string of metal beads that are placed on the pastry during baking to prevent it from bubbling up or shrinking. Any larger dried beans, such as pinto or kidney, will do the trick. There is nothing more unsightly than a shrunken or ill-shapen crust, trust me on this one. Pie weights will ensure your crust behaves during baking.
Pie shield: this metal ring is placed on the pie crust to prevent overbrowning during baking. No matter how luscious the filling, a burnt crust rim makes a bad first impression, trust me on this one, too.
Pie crust maker: this plastic pouch is round with a zippered edge. It's a shortcut way to roll out pastry. Simply put the dough ball inside the pouch, zip it closed, and flatten to the edges of the pouch. Zip open and voila, you have a perfectly round pie pastry. I bought one but haven't tried it out yet. I hope its claims aren't over hyped like the Amazing Ginsu Knife.
Pie crust form: a flat sheet of plastic with various diameter markings used as a guide for rolling out pastry dough. I have one but haven't succumbed to using it, at least not until I can confidently make crust the old-fashioned way.
Pie bird: this hollow ceramic device is placed in the center of fruit or meat pies to prevent the build up of steam and the resulting boiling over of the filling. It also supports the center of the crust and prevents it from sagging. Pie birds are actually shaped as birds and were used more often in older ovens that did not heat evenly. I wonder if the four and twenty blackbirds nursery rhyme inspired the inventor of the pie bird?
Pastry server: a wedge shaped utensil, sometimes serrated on an edge, used for cutting and removing slices from a pie pan. I cannot for the life of me remove the first slice neatly from a pie, or a cake, for that matter.
Bake-in pie spatula: this nifty gadget prevents the mess that often results from removing the aforementioned first slice of pie. Made of metal, it looks like a spatula but without the long handle. Baked right under the crust and filling, simply cut along the sides of the spatula and grasp the spatula lip which rests against the pie pan rim. I plan to order one and hope it works. See comment above about the Ginsu Knife.
Pastry blender: a metal utensil with close fitting u-shaped wires used to cut in butter or shortening into the flour. It's really an odd-looking tool that I think should go into a time capsule. A thousand years down the line when the time capsule is opened, I wonder if that pastry blender will stump future generations.
Pastry wheel: fluted or straight edged, this small utensil has a sharp cutting wheel attached to a handle and is used to mark and cut rolled-out pastry dough. A pastry wheel is indispensable when cutting strips of dough to make a lattice pie crust top. I am so excited to use this tool when making berry pies. It will be fun to cut lacey strips of dough and accessorize my pies!
Patterned pie toppers: these round plastic forms look like a very large cookie cutter. Placed on the rolled out pastry and firmly pressed down, cut out designs are formed on the dough. Pie toppers are used for pies with a top crust. A wide array of designs such as leaves, stars, or faux lattice make for a beautiful top crust. I hope to find some holiday themed pie toppers such as a heart shaped one. Wouldn't that be perfect for a cherry pie baked around Valentine's Day?
Rolling pin: a cylindrical utensil used to shape and flatten dough. Rolling pins are made of wood, ceramic, plastic, or marble. Some are hollow and are able to be filled with cold or warm water to better roll a desired food. I have a simple wooden one but I'm thinking of splurging on a heavy marble one. If for anything else, it will make a good weapon to clobber intruders.
Pie gate: this plastic hinged tool is placed into a pie pan once a slice has been removed. It opens to any angle and is placed against the edges of remaining pie to keep the filling fresh and intact. I sure could have used a pie gate for my soupy vanilla cream pie!
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