Gluten Free Pantry Perfect Pie Crust Mix- gluten free/ wheat free/cholesterol free/ trans fat free
At the holidays, I just love pie- pumpkin pie, key lime pie, buttery southern pecan pie, and my all time favorite- french apple cream pie. Yummmmmm. The only time I make pie is at Christmas and Thanksgiving, so when I make it, it better be good.
When I went gluten free last spring, I panicked- what about my famous holiday pies? I can easily adapt the fillings to be gluten free, what I wasn’t so sure about the crust. (My attempts at a homemade crust were less than tasty.) Since Thanksgiving is just around the corner, I decided to experiment with the Gluten Free Pantry Perfect Pie Crust mix. Since most of the other mixes are decent, I had high hopes for this one.
One mix makes two crusts, or enough for one double crust pie. I decided to make one pumpkin and one lime custard pie, to see how the crust reacted to the different fillings.
I found the mix simple to combine and roll out, even though I had to add seven of my own ingredients ( Gf Baking powder, sugar,10 tbsp. butter, 10 tbsp. shortening, eggs, water and cider vinegar). I have to admit, that was a little annoying. However, when it came time to transfer the pie crusts to the pie pan, it was a bit tricky due to cracking and splitting. However, I fixed the cracking fairly easily with my water-dipped fingertips.
After baking for 45 minutes ( average for both), the crust crumbled profusely when I tried to slice a piece of the pie. Uh-oh, not a good sign.
This is not a light and flaky crust. It is thick and dense (despite the crumble factor), and reminds me more of a shortbread cookie or biscuit. I also thought the crust could use a bit more sweetness; the flavor seemed a bit bland to me.
I did not care for this Gluten Free Pantry pie crust mix with either my lime custard or pumpkin pie. This just wasn’t what I expected or hoped for. I guess I will have to keep looking, since I haven’t found my perfect gluten free pie crust recipe or mix- yet.
PROS: easy to mix
CONS: you have to add alot of your own ingredients, very crumbly, dense and heavy texture- not light or flaky
Rating: 2 stars
You may purchase this mix at:
Gluten-Free Pantry - Perfect Pie Crust
From: glutenfree.com
Ingredients: White Rice Flour, Potato Starch, Corn Starch, Guar Gum, Granulated Honey, Salt.
Read what the following bloggers and forum posters think about this mix: Stephanie from What I Eat, Gluten Free Girl, posters at the Gluten Free Forum, S’Kat and the Miscellania, Sea at the Book of Yum, and glutenfreeworldgirl
October 31st, 2007 at 4:54 am
I didn’t like this mix either!
November 4th, 2007 at 4:09 am
Hi! I’m kind of surprised that this mix didn’t work well for you- we really like it at our house. I wonder if it is possible that glutino has changed the recipe with their takeover of the gluten free pantry… Did you refrigerate the dough before trying to roll it out? We always do- not sure what it would be like if it was rolled out right after mixing.
As far as splitting etc- I roll it out inside a cut open ziploc bag, cut open the sides, peel off the top layer of bag, put a pie pan underneath the crust, face down, then put a pie pan on top, also face down on the naked crust. Then I quickly invert it and slowly peel the top layer of ziploc bag off. Works beautifully. I got this idea from Alton Brown. Love that guy.
Whenever we made it in the past, it was always light, flaky, and buttery… so I’m really wondering about the formula. I may even have to buy it again and find out if it has changed…lol.
-Sea
November 4th, 2007 at 4:12 am
PS Thank you for including Book of Yum in your list ! Somehow the link seems to be broken, though…it links to a photo of pasta… sniff… sniff…
November 4th, 2007 at 4:26 pm
Oh no Sea! Pasta ?! I will double check that link :(. It worked for me when I tested it- I must have goofed it up after that somehow. My apologies!
As for this mix, thanks for the ziplock suggestion- Alton does have great ideas! I am glad to hear your experience with this mix was a good one, since many of their other products are quite yummy.
I did refrigerate the dough, so I don’t think that was it. Really, I think because it wasn’t the “identical” gluten free replacement I was hoping for, I was disappointed. I still have the memory of my pre-gluten free homemade pie crust fresh in my mind, and this mix just couldn’t compare. But then again, I tend to be picky with things like that.
November 9th, 2007 at 7:02 pm
I hope you are able to find a pie crust that works for you- have you tried Bette Hagman’s dream pastry recipe? We enjoyed that as well.
I think the prob. with the link may be that the http:// is missing in the URL- when I click on it it takes me here: http://glutenfreefoodreviews.com/www.bookofyum.com/blog/?p=183
Anyway, keep up the great work!
-Sea
November 17th, 2007 at 7:01 am
Thanks for reviewing this one - you saved me the trouble! I tried using Pamela’s Ultimate Baking Mix and following the recipe for the pie crust off the bag instead. It was pretty good! Not quite as good as my favorite non-gluten-free pie crust recipe, but I’ll definitely use it again.
November 19th, 2007 at 7:04 am
Ok! I tried this mix again to see if it was as good as it used to be- and you know what? I really think they changed the recipe, because although it rolled out well enough, it cracked and was prone to breaking once I baked it. I was disappointed! I swear it used to be good… Hmmmm… Next time I’ll just use Bette Hagman’s Dream Pastry recipe. After all, with all those ingredients you have to add now, Bette’s recipe is not that much more trouble than the GFP mix… The only thing I did differently than in the past was switch to a “healthier” shortening. With that shortening (and possibly the switch in formula) I’d have to second the low rating. *sigh* Bummer.
-sea
November 20th, 2007 at 2:03 pm
Oh no Sea! That is too bad they changed their recipe. I will be using the “Cause You’re Special mix for my pie crust, but I look forewaqrd to trying the recipe yo suggested PS I am fixing your link this weekend
childlife- that is a great idea. I saw the recipe on their package - it is sweet and flaky, or more dense and not-so-sweet?
November 24th, 2007 at 7:35 am
haha… ok, I am so torn over this darned pie crust. So, we left the leftover ball of dough in our fridge for a few days and DH used it for our apple pie… and you know what? It turned out delicious.. flaky and yummy. SO WEIRD. What is UP with this darned pie crust? lol. But yet, when I used it for spinach pie, it was a big thumbs down… maybe it was the pre-baking. Ok, I promise, enough out of me on the pie crust. I’m just so confused! On the up side, we made half of our pies this Thanksgiving with the Dream Pastry recipe and they were also good. So I will be crossing my fingers that you’ll like the dream pastry, or the Cause you’re special mix.
Happy (late) Thanksgiving!
-sea