- Some pies, such as chocolate cream pie or coconut cream pie, have sweet fillings. A sweet graham cracker crust is often too sweet for these types of fillings, overwhelming the palate. For this reason, the May 2010 issue of Cooks Illustrated magazine recommends using animal crackers instead of graham crackers. The magazine reports the subtle sweetness of animal crackers are perfect for sweet pie fillings, complementing them rather than drowning out their flavor.
- Another problem with graham cracker crusts is they sometimes don't hold together. It's frustrating to spend the time to bake a pie, only to have the crust crumble when you try to slice it. The problem might be the crumbs. According to celebrity chef and cookbook author Alton Brown, fine crumbs don't have enough cohesion to stick together. The answer, reports Brown, is to leave some large chunks. These provide bonding points to hold the crust together.
- Another common problem with graham cracker crusts is burning. Graham cracker crusts are sweet and are usually made with butter. Both sugar and fat burn easily. Brown recommends using an oven thermometer to make sure your oven isn't running too hot. A baking stone may also help even out temperature in your oven, helping your crust cook evenly. Finally, check often and pull the crust just as it turns deep golden brown.
- Large pies aren't the only treats that benefit from a crunchy, sweet graham cracker crust. Mini tarts, such as lemon curd tarts and fruit tarts, are smaller options more suited to fancy dinner parties. However, making graham cracker crusts for these tiny treats isn't easy. The January 2005 issue of Cooks Illustrated Magazine recommends making the crusts in muffin tins and pressing them into shape using the bottom of a shot or cordial glass.
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