the gluten and set the structure.
The filling in open pies and tarts blocks
oven heat from reaching the pastry surface
directly, and can prevent the crust from
cooking through, so that it ends up pale and
soggy rather than brown and dry. This
problem is prevented by precooking the crust
on its own (baking it “blind,” or empty, often
with dry beans or ceramic pie weights to
support the dough and prevent slumping). A
crisper bottom crust also results from higher
oven temperatures and from putting the
container on the lowest rack or directly on the
oven floor. Crispness can be preserved under a
moist filling by sealing the crust surface
during precooking with a moisture-resistant
layer of egg yolk or white, or afterwards with
cooked-down jams or jellies, or chocolate, or
a moisture-absorbing layer of compatible
crumbs.
Crumbly Pastries:
Short Pastry, Pâte Brisée