What's the Secret to a Perfect, Golden Brown Pie Crust? An Egg or Cream Wash—Here's How to Do It (2024)

FAQs

What's the Secret to a Perfect, Golden Brown Pie Crust? An Egg or Cream Wash—Here's How to Do It? ›

Whole Egg + Whole Milk: In a small bowl, combine 1 large egg with 1 Tbsp. whole milk; whisk until fully combined and no streaks remain, then brush over the dough. This egg wash will give your baked goods a nice golden brown color and just enough shine.

The general rule of thumb for an egg wash is one well-beaten whole egg plus one to two tablespoons of water. More water will lighten the golden color, or for a shinier pie, you can substitute the water with cream or milk. Sometimes, an egg wash is made with just yolks for extra color—or just whites for extra shine.

Egg wash is a mix of beaten whole egg and water (or milk or cream), which is used to brush onto the top of baked goods before baking. The purpose of egg wash is to provide a nice golden brown, shiny finish on your baking. I use this egg wash for pie crust, or this also makes a great egg wash for bread recipes.

Egg plus milk or cream

"Using cream or milk is a very old-school egg wash method, but popular," says Haysmith. By brushing an egg beaten with milk or cream, you will get a baked good with a light golden brown color and a nice amount of shine.

For a deeper brown sheen with a crispier crust, use water. For a lighter, slightly shinier sheen with a softer crust, use milk or heavy cream. For a firmer, lighter crust with little shine, use only the egg white and water. For a darker, richer hue, use only the egg yolk.

Whole Egg + Whole Milk: In a small bowl, combine 1 large egg with 1 Tbsp. whole milk; whisk until fully combined and no streaks remain, then brush over the dough. This egg wash will give your baked goods a nice golden brown color and just enough shine.

It's All About the Glaze. Getting a golden color on a pie crust usually doesn't have to do with the crust itself – it's what you brush on top. From milk to egg yolks, the sugars and proteins in the glaze will caramelize before the crust itself, giving the pie extra color and a burnished look.

Many home ovens are not calibrated correctly, resulting in a difference between the temperature you set them at and the actual temperature inside. It's also possible that the airflow inside your oven is different, which can result in uneven heating and "hot zones" or "cool spots" in your oven.

If you're looking for a creamy or a golden light brown when figuring out how to make brown paint, adding a paler yellow to your primary color mix can turn up the lightness and bring you to the right tone. When mixing, start with yellow and add blue and red until you find a brown that isn't too heavy.

The first golden rule of making pastry; keep the ingredients, the bowl and the hands as cool as possible. Sieve the flour to add extra air and lightness to the pastry.

What makes baked goods golden brown? ›

GOOD TO KNOW: A chemical reaction between amino acids and sugars, the Maillard reaction is responsible for color development and new flavor formation in a significant number of cooked foods. It was named for the French chemist Louis-Camille Maillard, who first described it in 1912.

Eggs. Adding a whole egg or egg yolk aids in browning and makes the dough more pliable and easier to roll out.

One of my very favorite kitchen tricks is to brush a bottom pie crust with an egg white wash before filling. This keeps the filling from seeping into the crust and creating a soggy bottom. I like to avoid soggy bottoms at all costs. Egg white and water is also perfect for sealing edges, like when making a pie.

We did find, however, that in addition to flavoring the wash, salt helps denature the proteins in the egg, making it more fluid and therefore much easier to brush evenly and gently over delicate doughs. We'll be adding a pinch of salt to our egg washes from now on.

You can brush an egg-wash glaze (1 egg plus 1 tsp. water) over the Puff Pastry to create a rich, golden sheen when baked. Use an egg wash to help seal filled pastries and connect Puff Pastry pieces: mix 1 egg plus 1 tsp. water, brush between layers, then pinch or press together.

You may wish to try a milk wash brushed over the dough just before baking. The sugars in the milk will create a deeper golden-brown crust (check the loaf is fully baked through too). Dusting with flour will dry out your dough prior to baking. However, this could also result in a tougher final crust.

Line the crust with foil, parchment, or a paper coffee filter. Fill it about two-thirds full with dried beans, uncooked rice (or other uncooked grain berries), pie weights, or granulated sugar. Bake the crust in a preheated 375°F oven for 20 minutes, set on a baking stone or steel if you have one.