How to keep a graham cracker crust from getting soggy
- April 29, 2010
- Baking
- 14 comments
Graham cracker crusts are easy to use, whether you bake them yourself or buy them at the store, because they take a lot less prep time and quite a bit less baking time than more traditional pastry crusts do. The drawback to them is that they got soggy very easily, a problem that is usually only made worse by the fact that the fillings placed in graham cracker shells tend to be custards, puddings and creams.
Fortunately, there are a couple of quick fixes that can prevent a graham cracker crust from getting soggy. When you have a no-bake filling, such as the one on this Caramel Banana Cream Pie or this Fresh Strawberry Pie, you can line the inside of the graham cracker crust with melted chocolate. This creates a waterproof barrier between the crust and filling, and will keep the crust in perfect condition even after the pie is sliced. You can use any kind of chocolate, simply brush it on with a pastry brush (or spread it very thinly) the chill it for a few minutes to set before filling.
If you have a pie that doesn’t go well with chocolate, or one that needs to be baked with its filling already in place, there is another trick to use. This time, brush the inside of the graham cracker crust with a lightly beaten egg white and pop it into the oven at about 350F 3-5 minutes to let it dry. The egg white has the same effect as the melted chocolate (although chocolate is sturdier overall), keeping moisture out of the crust.
14 Comments
What a great tip! I’ll have to remember this the next time I make a cheesecake.
Of course! Chocolate is almost always the answer, isn’t it?
Thanks for the tip.
Genius! I make banoffee pie all the time (British, banana + toffee) and have this problem. I’m adding chocolate next time!
Great idea. Now if I could find a way to keep my fruit pie pastry from getting soggy. Does it make sense to use the egg white for a traditional pastry?
Brilliant idea! And yummy too! I want to go home and make pie now.
THANKS FOR THE ARTICLE YOU BLOG….
Thanks for the egg white tip, I am making Lemon Chess Pie for Mom and will try that. Should of known, I have put meringue on cracks in my regular pie crust before pouring in the hot lemon filling.
thanks for the effort
Thanks for the easy way
Chocolate is always the answer. I make rice crisp treat crust for my cherry cheese cake pie. It gets soggy if not eaten rite away. Chocolate sealer a taste addition.
The best trick for keeping crusts from getting soggy (when using precooked fillings) is to wait until the filling is completely cooled off, and almost fully set, before adding it to the crust.