The crumbs in a graham cracker crust give your pie a texture and flavor you won't find in a traditional pie, but those little crumbs can also be a major headache. Graham cracker crusts are delicate things, falling apart seemingly at will. But a few simple tricks can keep your pie from becoming a crumbly mess.
Choosing Ingredients
The right ingredients will not only help the crust stay together, but make for the most delicious pie crust possible. Choose whole graham crackers and blend them into fine crumbs in the food processor. Use crisp, crunchy crackers, since stale crackers won't taste right. Butter binds the crumbs together; use real butter or margarine, and don't try to cut the calorie count by using low-fat margarine or butter substitute. These spreads contain water that will make your crust soggy. For sweetening the crust, use confectioners' sugar rather than granulated. This type of powdered sugar contains cornstarch, a thickening agent that can help your crust hold together.
Measuring Carefully
Perhaps the most crucial part of making a crumble-free graham cracker crust is using the right amounts of crumbs and butter. Using too little or too much butter can lead to crumbling. Combine 1 3/4 cups of graham cracker crumbs, 1/4 cups of confectioners' sugar and 6 tablespoons of melted butter or margarine. Stir everything together with a fork, combining all the ingredients thoroughly so all the butter is evenly distributed. It's fine if the mixture looks a bit dry, since the butter will help bind the crumbs together once the mixture is pressed.
Preparing the Crust
Once you pour the crumb mixture into your pie tin, it needs to be thoroughly flattened. Use your fingers or the underside of a flat-bottomed metal measuring cup to press the crumbs against the bottom and sides of the pie tin. While a graham cracker crust doesn't require baking -- you can refrigerate it for an hour before adding a filling -- baking helps bind the crumbs and butter together to make a solid crust. Bake the crust in a 375 degree Fahrenheit oven for around 15 minutes.
Filling the Pie
The last step in making a crumble-free pie is choosing the filling carefully. To keep your crust crisp and intact, let it cool completely before adding fillings. Anything too wet, like blueberries in sauce, will make the crust soggy and crumbly after a few hours. Since you used sugar and butter in the crust, look for healthful filling options. On hot days, spread softened frozen yogurt in the crust and store the pie in the freezer. You might also combine low-fat yogurt with whipped topping and chopped berries for a quick pie filling, or make your own chocolate pudding using low-fat milk.
References
- Taste of Home: Crispier Graham Cracker Crusts
- The King Arthur's Flour Baking Companion; PJ Hamel; Graham Cracker Crust
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