Solution to soggy pastry bases

[spotit3]

Anyone any tips as to how to keep pastry bases from going soggy e.g. lemon meringue pies, apple tarts etc? I remember reading a tip once but have forgotten what it was. Any help appreciated.

[Teddy_boy]

Refrigerate before use , for around an hour , stops a soggy base.

[spotit3]

Hi Teddy_boy, do you mean refrigerate the uncooked pastry base before adding filling and placing in oven. I always refrigerate my pastry for at least an hour before use as it makes it so much easier to roll out.

[fixmeup]

One way is to prick the base with a fork and sprinkle with
Bread crumbs before filling.
Or cook It blind and then add crumbs
And filling.


Tv

[echokilo]

Blind baking

[spotit3]

Thanks everyone for their helpful replies. If I use breadcrumbs as suggested, fixmeup, would they not rather spoil the lemon mixture in the meringue?

[coriander2]

Delia suggests some way towards solving this problem is by painting the inside of the pastry case with beaten egg. Baking the pie on a good solid metal baking sheet should also help, as the metal will conduct the heat evenly and efficiently.

[fixmeup]

If the lemon curd is of a reasonably thick
Consistency and you bake blind you wont
Need crumbs, but for any liquidy mix you
Will need them. They are hardly noticeable.

[spotit3]

Thanks again, everyone. Coriander2, I think that is the hint I was trying to remember.