The Essential Store-Bought Ingredient For Mini Pies Perfect For Entertaining

Instead of worrying about all the expert tips for making perfect pie dough, why not take a much-needed shortcut and transform one store-bought staple into cute, individual pie crusts? While most of us are familiar with frozen phyllo sheets, which are available in the freezer section of virtually every major supermarket, you may not have known you can also purchase miniature phyllo cups. Available in most well-known grocery stores, frozen phyllo cups (or shells) are made with the same flaky phyllo dough you know and love, but are already pre-formed and baked into individual snack-size servings.

Especially when it comes to hosting, the best part about these convenient, pre-baked shells is that they serve as an ideal shortcut ingredient for mini pies. If you're in the midst of planning a dinner party, phyllo shells give you freedom to make a wide range of pie fillings without the added stress of preparing homemade pie dough. All you need to do is make a colorful variety of delicious pie fillings ahead of time. Then, when you're ready to put everything together, simply defrost your phyllo cups and fill accordingly.

Ready-made pie fillings that don't require additional baking include cream pies like coconut, chocolate, or lemon. You can also make an easy no-bake peanut butter pie with sweetened condensed milk and Cool Whip. Once mixed, simply portion the filling into each phyllo shell before refrigerating. Beyond preparing a number of chilled, cream-based pies, you can also make a delicious variety of baked pies as well.

If you prefer pies that have warm, baked fillings such as apple, pecan, and bakery-worthy blueberry pie, with a few exceptions, phyllo shells continue to serve as an easy stand-in for traditional pastry. However, when working with juicier, fruit-based fillings, take care to cut your fruit extra small. You may also want to precook your pie filling ahead of time. Especially for fruits like apples that produce a lot of juice when cooked, precooking ensures this juice won't bubble out of each shell and turn the base of each pie soggy.

Since phyllo shells can't be baked for 45 minutes in a hot oven like traditional pie dough without risking burning, precooking your filling also speeds up baking time. This way, after just 15 minutes, you have perfectly gooey apple, blueberry, or cherry pies to enjoy. That said, if you miss covering certain fruit pies in a lattice-style crust, incorporate a streusel topping for a similar effect. If you want a chewier texture, for the easiest streusel, use oatmeal. Otherwise, make a classic streusel with butter, sugar, and flour.

On the other hand, pie fillings that require shorter cooking times such as pumpkin or pecan can be simply portioned into each phyllo shell before baking. Since the innermost portion of these pies are more easily exposed to direct heat during cooking, they set a lot faster. With phyllo shells, you can easily enjoy miniature pumpkin or pecan pies in half the time.