Pie crust shields are useful for preventing the edges of the crust from burning while baking. They come in different shapes and materials, including aluminum and silicone. Some prefer using aluminum foil instead, which is adaptable and recyclable.
Many people who bake pies get frustrated when the edges of the crust start to brown faster than the center of the crust. Some crusts will burn while the inside is not cooked through yet or the center of the top crust is still pale and unappealing. Burnt edges of a crust don’t add to a pie’s appeal, and this problem can be especially pronounced when baking custard pies with no top crust or pies with relatively firm fruit like apples that require a longer cook time. Alternatively, if you like to curl the crust near the edge of the pan, such as with a fork, the thinner crust at the edges cooks faster. For this reason, many bakers celebrate the pie crust shield.
A pie crust shield is a useful tool in the kitchen and comes in several shapes. The most common are foil rings, which are gently placed on top of the pie, sometimes midway through the baking process, to prevent the edges of the crust from burning. You can also purchase types of pie crust shields that come in several rounded pieces, which can be placed around the outer crust and can offset larger or smaller pies. Sizes may vary and you may need a couple of pie shields for multi-piece pie if using different sized pie pans.
A recent addition to pie crust protection materials are those made from silicone rather than aluminum. Some people prefer these, as they tend not to stick. Both materials will protect the edges of your cakes from excessive chipping or even burning, but people complain that foil screens may stick to some degree. One way to avoid this is to wait until the edges of the crust are cooked through. They’ll be tough at this point, so there’s little danger of the shield sticking to the crust. With any type of shield, you’ll need to bake the pie for part of the time without shielding so the edges of the crust are cooked through.
Pie crust shields are inexpensive, costing between $5-10 US Dollars (USD); silicone ones tend to be more expensive than aluminum types. Some cooks argue though that you can have a perfectly done cake without ever using one. Instead of purchasing a pie crust shield, simply use foil folded around the edges of the pie if it appears to be overcooking. This will keep the edges of the crust from burning, they generally won’t stick together if you place it on the pie when the crust is already hard, and what’s more, it can be scaled for any pie size or shape. You can also recycle aluminum foil provided you rinse it after use.
There are as many fans of the aluminum foil method as there are of the pie crust shield method to avoid burnt pie edges. Those who prefer aluminum foil like the adaptable size of foil, and some even argue that if you don’t store a pie crust shield carefully, the lightweight aluminum will easily bend out of shape, making the shield less useful. Silicone shields tend to work better and won’t permanently bend if you keep something on top of them.
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