Divided Pie Pan: Yay or Nay?

[crftysahm]

If this has been addressed on the forum, I do apologize for posting it again. I did a search and found nothing posted for it.

Has anyone purchased one of these pans? Has anyone used one? Did you like it or not. It is advertised as a divided pie pan, which I think can be found in "As Seen On TV" type stores. SUPPOSEDLY, you would be able to make two different pies at once, that are completely cooked and the pie is completely sealed in dough so you have a half of a pie but with out the filling sliding out.

 

[ChesterV]

I've mentioned this pan in one or two of my previous threads.

I've never used one, but I don't see that it would be any different that making a whole pie in one pan. Being divided shouldn't affect anything other than it being a whole pie.


If it's something you are worried about, then you might make mini pies instead, or if you like kitchen gadgets.....
there's a mini pie maker machine....


https://www.baking-forums.com/threads/new-baking-gadgets.4357/

 

[Norcalbaker59]

OK full disclosure here…Pie is King in my book. My freezer is always stocked with pie dough and hand pies. Gluten Free of course. I'll bake anything and everything with gluten for other people, but when it comes to pie it's always gluten-free because when it comes to pie I'm going to eat it. So I'm not very objective and open-minded when it comes to pie. I love my pie. That said...

I agree with ChesterV that a good way to approach multiple fillings is with mini pies. I don't see the benefit of a split pie plate. It doesn't reduce the work. And too, for me, it lacks in aesthetics. We eat first with the eyes. And frankly, half a pie is just well... pretty it ain't. The blunted, sealed edge looks forbidding. A whole mini pie or a hand pie feels more generous that 1/2 a pie. And who can resist a hand pie?

Then there is the cultural aspect of pie. Food is culture. It gives us our identity. It gives us our history. It gives us our bearings in the world. The cultural significance of pie runs deep in many cultures. Pie dates back to the Egyptians. But it was the Romans who spread the love of pie across Europe. The English have a pie week--lucky Brits! Here in America we only get National Pi(e) Day. Which is strange because we always say, "As American as apple pie."

Pie is about home and tradition. Pie is about family. Pie is about childhood. We should always give those we love the whole pie!

 

[crftysahm]

I can see your point about the mini pies, but I think that for me the advantage of this pan would be a half of pie sealed to send away. They person I am thinking of could not handle a whole pie, here at home we couldn't either. At least not health wise. I like the fact that the pie is still sealed in a crust. Let's face it, as soon as you cut in to a fruit pie, the filling just oozes out. I am really bad at making crust, so the thought of cutting a lot of small crust for mini pies is a bit apprehensive for me. Now that I have a good line of takers for my baking, I think that this fall I am going to do a lot of practicing on the things that I tend to stay away from because of...fear. LOL

 

[Norcalbaker59]

I can see your point about the mini pies, but I think that for me the advantage of this pan would be a half of pie sealed to send away. They person I am thinking of could not handle a whole pie, here at home we couldn't either. At least not health wise. I like the fact that the pie is still sealed in a crust. Let's face it, as soon as you cut in to a fruit pie, the filling just oozes out. I am really bad at making crust, so the thought of cutting a lot of small crust for mini pies is a bit apprehensive for me. Now that I have a good line of takers for my baking, I think that this fall I am going to do a lot of practicing on the things that I tend to stay away from because of...fear. LOL

If sealing the filling AND quantity are key issues, then a hand pie is ideal. The make single servings. No miniature pie tins required. No cutting into a pie leaving the rest sitting in the tin oozing filling. And you can make a slew of them in the same amount of time it takes to make one large pie.

Just divide your dough in two potions. Roll both into a large rectangle. Scoop small mounds of filling onto the dough, separate mounds of illing by an 1" all the way around. With a pastry brush, spread a light coat of egg wash in between the mounds of filling. Lay the second sheet of dough over the sheet with filling. Gently press in between the mounds of filling to seal. Use a knife or pizza cutter and cut along seals. Or use a large cookie cutter. Just place the cutter over the mounds and press. I make a dozen pies like this in about 10 minutes.

The pies in the photos were made with 6" and 4" cutters. With the 6" cutter, I cut the circles, fill one side, then fold the the half over the filling an seal. The 4" rounds are made as described above. I crimp the edges after cutting

 

[crftysahm]

Thanks. In other words kind of like a big ravioli. LOL Once this heat wave breaks and I do some baking again I will try this.

It is terrible here, triple digits and large wild fires. Not to mention, we live in a kind of bowl so all the smoke from the fires and fireworks are still hanging around.

 

[Norcalbaker59]

Yes like making ravioli! That's how I came up with the technique. I used to make a lot of homemade pasta.

I'm in the wine country--we're roasting here too. I live in a 100 years old house, so no central air. I baked a cake yesterday--proved to myself if you're stupid, you suffer.

 

[crftysahm]

We are almost neighbors. LOL Thanks for the great info. We are going to be at the coast in an RV for a regional shooting match. I am planning on trying these hand pies there, we have a potluck one night.

 

[Norcalbaker59]

We are almost neighbors. LOL Thanks for the great info. We are going to be at the coast in an RV for a regional shooting match. I am planning on trying these hand pies there, we have a potluck one night.

Hopefully it be a little cooler for you on the coast. Inland here in the valley has been scorching hot. That I don't even want to go out to toss the trash hot.


This is my new favorite pie dough technique by Stella Parks. I used a similar process but I was working the butter into the dough a lot more than Stella Parks does here. Parks is pure genius in that her approach allows you to use a lot more flour in the rolling if you need it.

She uses equal parts butter to flour. I had been using 80% butter to flour. But the extra butter allows you to work in more flour during rolling without ending up with a tough dry crust. Genius! Genius! Genius!

https://www.google.com/amp/www.seri.../06/old-fashioned-flaky-pie-dough-recipe.html