All You Need Is A Measuring Spoon For This Elegant Pie Crust Design

Making a homemade pie takes patience, which is why you shouldn't skimp on giving it a decorative edge. After investing time in preparing the pastry and whipping up the rich filling, it would be a shame to pop it in the oven without a final flourish. Eye-catching designs, such as roped and braided edges, look outstanding but they do require a light hand and a modicum of skill. To make a pie crust design that's equally as elegant but incredibly easy, use a measuring spoon to cut a series of semi-circles around the perimeter.

Pinching or crimping the edges of a pie crust by hand is a fast and effective approach; however, it can result in an uneven-looking circumference that isn't perfectly uniform. Using a measuring spoon ensures that every cut-out is identical, resulting in a motif that's balanced, neat, and a cinch to duplicate. To get started, line your pie plate with your pastry and trim off the excess with a sharp knife. Then, place the top half of your upside down measuring spoon on the edge of the pastry and press down firmly to cut out a half-moon shape (flour your utensil if it sticks). Gently pull away the cut out and repeat this process until you've gone the whole way around the pie plate, making sure to leave a small gap between each hemisphere. The result? A graceful but low-key design that's understated and chic.

This measuring spoon trick can be employed on a homemade pie crust recipe to lend your finished dessert an unusually striking look. However, it can also be used on a sheet of store-bought pastry to give it a homespun vibe. While it isn't necessary to create a design around the edge — you can simply press a thumb all the way around the dough to help it stick to your pie plate — a considered pattern can add a tasteful finishing touch that will set your pie apart. However, bear in mind that a pie crust needs to be just the right thickness for your spoon to cut through it neatly; too thin and it will tear, ruining all your hard work. Luckily there's a genius coin hack that perfectly measures the thickness of pie crust. All you need to do is stack two coins on top of each other, place them next to your rolled-out dough and use them as a visual guide to check if your pastry needs to be re-worked.

Another kitchen tool hack for effortless pie crimping involves using a pair of tongs instead of a spoon. The scalloped edge of this utensil can also be used to produce a pretty design on the pastry; simply press the one side of the tongs onto the edge of your pie crust to emboss a delicate, curved motif on the circumference and cut away the excess.