1 week Ago By Talya Honebeek
An air fryer chef has shared his secret to getting a perfectly crisp, golden crust on your pies. There’s nothing more comforting than a homemade pie, but perfecting the crust can be a challenge. Getting your recipe wrong can result in a soggy bottom or a dry, crumbly base, neither of which lend themselves to the tastiest of pies.
But by using your air fryer and adding just one simple kitchen cupboard staple to the dough , you can ensure a “crisp, perfectly baked crust” every time. Martin Senders, in-house air fryer chef at Philips, said: “One of the best hacks for achieving a crisp and golden pie crust is to add a handful of finely ground almonds to your pastry dough. “This magic ingredient absorbs excess moisture while adding a subtle nuttiness, ensuring a perfectly baked base every time.
“You can also enhance the texture further by using a small amount of cornstarch in the filling, which helps prevent excess liquid from seeping into the crust during baking.” Martin also shared his go-to classic pie crust recipe that is easy to bake in the air fryer and can suit any filling. Ingredients: 21⁄2 cups plain flour One tsp salt One tbsp sugar (optional, for sweet pies) One cup unsalted butter, cold and cubed Six to eight tbsp ice water 1⁄4 cup finely ground almonds Method: In a large bowl, mix flour, salt, sugar, and ground almonds.
Add the cold butter cubes and rub them into the flour using your fingertips until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Gradually add ice water, stirring until the dough comes together. Shape the dough into a disc, wrap it in cling film, and refrigerate it for at least 30 minutes.
Then, roll out the chilled dough and press it into a pie dish. Preheat your air fryer to 180°C. Place the pie dish on a perforated liner or wire rack inside the air fryer basket.
If blind-baking, line the pastry with parchment paper, fill with baking beans, and air fry for six to eight minutes before adding your filling. Continue baking as per your recipe until golden and crisp..
