What's the Best Pie Filling Thickener? (2024)

FAQs

What's the Best Pie Filling Thickener? ›

Very often flour or cornstarch is used, but in certain instances tapioca, arrowroot and potato starch can also help achieve the desired consistency. Tapioca starch is preferable for products that will be frozen because it will not break down when thawed. We like tapioca in blueberry, cherry or peach pies.

Cornstarch. Cornstarch is a super-effective thickener that doesn't need much time to cook, although it does require high temperatures to activate. To avoid clumps, mix cornstarch with sugar before adding it to your filling.

Cornstarch as Pie Filling Thickener

Just like the name suggests, cornstarch is derived from corn. Cornstarch is faster-acting than flour and forms a smooth, relatively clear filling. Just be aware that too much cornstarch can create a slimy texture.

The three most common starches used to thicken the fruit juices of a pie are flour, tapioca, and cornstarch. I prefer cornstarch because I find that it actually enhances the flavor of the fruit.

Cornstarch makes for a shiny, glossy filling. A little goes a long way because it has twice the gelling power of flour. Flour thickens nicely but leaves more of a matte finish. You'll need to use twice as much as you would with cornstarch.

All-purpose flour is an easy substitute for cornstarch; in fact you may see recipes for thickening pie fillings or soups with either. You'll need 2 tablespoons of flour for every 1 tablespoon of cornstarch in a recipe.

10 Answers. There are several alternatives, but the most common I know of are tapioca flour and arrowroot powder/flour. That said, most cornstarch substitutes aren't appropriate for pies, because they break down under high heat. The only substitutes for corn starch that I'd use in a pie are potato starch and tapioca.

Fresh fruit needs just slightly less thickener than frozen. Flour is the only thickener that produces significant cloudiness, though cornstarch-thickened filling is somewhat more opaque than fillings thickened with other starches. Taste-wise, the best thickener is Pie Filling Enhancer.

Mix potato starch with 60ml (¼ cup) cold water in a bowl until smooth, then stir it through beef mixture to combine. Bring back to the boil, then remove from heat and transfer to a container to cool. Refrigerate overnight to chill and thicken. Meanwhile, prepare pastry.

How to make a berry pie less runny? ›

If you're making homemade fruit pie filling and it's always runny and wet, add a tablespoon or two more of cornstarch to it and cook it in the microwave for about three minutes or until it's thick, then put it in the pie shell and bake it. Should come out fine, let it completely cool before you cut and serve the pie.

How to Make Perfect Berry Pie: Cook berries: Simmer berries, sugar and lemon juice in a large saucepan over medium heat until warm and juicy, about 5-10 minutes, gently stirring occasionally. Thicken filling: Spoon out about ½ cup of the juice from the pan into a bowl. Stir cornstarch into the juice until smooth.

Substitutes for Instant Clearjel in Baking

EZ Gel may be used in 2x the amount of Instant Clearjel in stabilized whipped cream. For Compotes and Pie fillings—Substitute equal parts cornstarch for Instant Clearjel and cook all filling ingredients over the stove until you reach your desired thickness.

Freezing causes liquids thickened with flour or cornstarch to shear or separate during freezing. Therefore, baked pies or fillings thickened with tapioca or modified food starch such as Instant ClearJel® or ThermFlo® will maintain their consistency better.

Thickeners used in Baking. Arrowroot is the powdered root grown in the Caribbean. It is used to thicken glazes, fruit fillings, and puddings and has a glossy finish. Arrowroot thickens at a lower temperature than cornstarch or flour making it ideal for thickening products that should not boil.

Cornstarch imparts a glossy sheen to the liquids it thickens, so it tends to be used more in sweet sauces and pie fillings than in savory sauces and gravies. Still, it works really well, and it's easy to use: For each cup of liquid, you want to thicken, start with 1 tablespoon of cornstarch in a small bowl.