Christopher Kimball’s Milk Street Radio BA Bake Club: Perfect Pie with Erin Jeanne McDowell
Oct 29, 2025
Join Erin Jeanne McDowell, a talented baker and author of The Book on Pie, as she tackles listener questions about perfecting pie. She shares her journey from baking with her grandmother to pastry school and emphasizes the importance of clear visual cues in pie dough. Discover tips on achieving a sturdy pie, including the intricacies of baking double-crust pies and avoiding pitfalls like overly watery strawberries. Plus, enjoy Erin's hot takes on pie preferences and her thoughts on pie baking throughout the seasons!
AI Snips
Chapters
Books
Transcript
Episode notes
Grandma Taught Her Pie
- Erin learned baking seriously at 14 by practicing pie with her grandmother and developing recipes in that kitchen.
- That early mentorship launched her career in pastry and led her to write The Book on Pie.
Why Pie Intimidates Bakers
- Pie intimidates people mainly because of perceived time and uncertainty until it's fully baked and cooled.
- That delayed feedback makes pie feel risky compared to other baked goods like cakes.
Nail Dough Texture
- Get your dough texture right: avoid dough that's too wet or too dry because both ruin handling and bake quality.
- Aim for a pliable, slightly tacky dough so it rolls, crimps, and bakes into a tender flaky crust.
