People who don’t know much about cooking and baking can still feel accomplished by making a pumpkin pie.
With premade pie crusts and canned pumpkin, most pumpkin pie recipes require just five ingredients.
The main challenge is to know the right moment when a pumpkin pie is done.
As with most other pies, it is not always easy to know if the inside is ready as you are only looking at the crust.
With pumpkin pie, this is even more challenging as pumpkin pie can become too liquid or too solid easily.
How To Tell If a Pumpkin Pie Is Done
To tell if a pumpkin pie is done you can use the classic knife test. Insert a sharp, thin knife or a toothpick into the center of the pie. Your pie is ready if there is no residue left on the knife. You can also use a thermometer. or bounce the pumpkin pie. Once the temperature is above 180 degrees Fahrenheit (82 degrees Celsius) the Pumpkin Pie is done. If you bounce the pumpkin pie, it should only shake slightly in the middle. If the whole pie moves when bounces, it is not ready yet. Pumpkin pie generally needs to bake for about 60 minutes at 300 degrees Fahrenheit (149 degrees Celsius).
How Long to Bake a Pumpkin Pie For
As a rule of thumb, pumpkin pie needs to bake for about 60 minutes at 300 degrees Fahrenheit (149 degrees Celsius).
Every oven is different and the chosen ingredients as well as the amount, the positioning, and the exact settings will have an impact on when a pumpkin pie is ready.
So take the 60 minutes as a general rule and use the below methods to find out if your pumpkin pie is ready.
1.Testing with a Knife or Toothpick if a Pumpkin Pie is Done
What I do to test if a pumpkin pie is done is to insert a knife blade.
It cracks the pie open slightly where you tested but this is no big deal.
When you take out the knife check the blade for any residue.
If it is clean you can be sure that your pumpkin pie is done.
If the blade is dirty and pumpkin pie sticks on it, this is a clear sign that the pie needs more time in the oven.
An alternative way is to use a toothpick. Enter it halfway through the crust and the inside of the pie.
The same applies to the knife. If the toothpick is dirty, the pie is not ready.
One way to hide the opening that was created by the knife or toothpick is to add some whipped cream on top of your pumpkin pie once is done.
The cracks in a baked pie can also be covered with pastry cutouts.
Or you don’t mind and present the pie as it is.
A true homemade masterpiece.
2.Looking at the Crust and Filling
After one hour of constant baking, glance through the oven window and look at the pumpkin pie baking inside.
What you are looking for is a crust that is only slightly browning at the edges and a filling that has become a darker color.
The filling itself should be even and level and not bloated.
These are indices that your pumpkin pie could be ready.
3.Testing the Doneness of a Pumpkin Pie with a Thermometer
If you want to get fancy you can use a meat thermometer to test whether a pumpkin pie is done.
What you are looking for is a core temperature of 180 degrees Fahrenheit (82 degrees Celsius) or more.
Once this temperature is reached, the pumpkin pie is ready.
4.Testing the Pie with a Jiggle
Pumpkin pies don’t need to be cracked or punched if you want to know if it is done.
There is a method that doesn’t involve sticking anything into the pie.
You can shake the pie gently to check if it’s ready.
The pie should jiggle slightly in the middle when it’s ready, but there should not be liquid in it at all.
How to Not Overbake Pumpkin Pie
Overbaking pumpkin pie is possible, unfortunately.
Pumpkin Pie is the kind of pie that continues to bake once it is outside the oven.
So take this into account when baking this custard pie.
It is better to check on the pie often and to factor in that the pumpkin pie will continue to bake once it is outside the oven.
Signs of an overcooked pie are a very brown crust and the buildup of bubbles around the pie.
What to do once the pie is out of the oven
Let the pumpkin pie cool for 1 hour, then cover it and let it chill for 2 hours.
I would recommend not serving a pumpkin pie that is still warm.
Pumpkin pie is better when it is cold and firm and not warm and gooey.
Can An Underbaked Pie Be Fixed?
Underbaked pies should be covered with aluminum foil and baked at 425 degrees Fahrenheit (218 degrees Celsius) for about 15 minutes (or as long as necessary).
Before cooling, test the pies for doneness.
Put the oven back on
If your oven dial is not accurate, use an oven thermometer.
Bake the pie at 350 degrees Fahrenheit (177 degrees Celsius) for about 20 minutes.
If the edges are getting too dark, cover it with aluminum foil to avoid burning the cake.
Undercooked pumpkin pie: Can it be the oven’s fault? Several ovens display wrong temperatures and/or do not heat evenly. These are bad ovens!
After cooling, place whipped cream on top
It only takes a little whipped cream to make everything right.
When making pumpkin pie, it can be a challenge to achieve just the right level of doneness.
Overcooking can cause cracking in fillings.
Whipped cream tastes good and can be used to fix unsightliness.
Conclusion
The internet is the best place to find a never-ending supply of pumpkin pie recipes.
However, you still have to bake the pie yourself.
There is nothing more frustrating than overbaking or even underbaking a pie that you put a lot of effort into.
With the above tips you will always know once a pumpkin pie is done.
Frequently Asked Questions about How To Tell If a Pumpkin Pie Is Done
Can I Get Sick From Undercooked Pumpkin Pie?
Pumpkin pie with raw eggs can make you ill if it’s undercooked. Food poisoning can occur from consuming raw or uncooked eggs, which may contain pathogens such as Salmonella. Egg contamination risk is low, but it can occur.
When It Cools Does Pumpkin Pie Thicken?
Cooling will firm up the pumpkin pie’s center. Make sure the pie doesn’t get too stiff by baking it too long. The center of the pie should barely jiggle when you insert a knife.