Here's a simple thing I learned
from an Amish place that really makes a difference on a double crust fruit pie. Now there is the well known thing called "crust dust" which is a little one to one mix of flour and sugar that you spread on the surface of the bottom crust before putting in your fruit filling. It keeps the fruit from sogging the bottom crust before it gets a chance to firm up in the oven. That's all well and good but I came across something that is not about that at all but is very simple, unique (to my experience) and tasty.
I was traveling in Minnesota and stopped for a break at a little gas-n-go sort of place that also had a little Amish restaurant attached. The store part had some fresh bakery from the restaurant and I spotted a blueberry pie. I thought I could sit in my vehicle with the pie and some cold milk and eat some now and save the rest for later. So I dug in and as I worked my way down through the very nice top crust and through the fruit I was very pleased because it was very well done without being too dry/toasted on the edge of the crust and the filling was from fresh blueberries and was not overpowered with sugar so you actually got a nice flavor of blueberries.
But when I got to the bottom crust I was amazed and kept digging for more of that bottom crust. The person who baked that pie had placed a fairly light sprinkling of sugar in the bottom of the pie pan before putting in the bottom crust. So as the pie baked the sugar went to about a half way mix of white sugar granules and just a hint of carmelizing. Not so much that the whole of the outside of the bottom crust was affected but just sort of like spotted. It was marvelous and really was a nice added surprise to a wonderful pie. Such a simple thing to do but such a nice result. You got this sort of sweet/toasty/light crisp effect and because it was just random spots each piece of pie might have just a couple here or there. So you don't get really a caramel flavor but just a sweet/crisp little bonus.
I love Amish cooking and Pennsylvania Dutch.
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I would choose pie over about any other dessert. I think I’ll try this. 
Last edited Thu Nov 2, 2023, 11:37 PM - Edit history (1)
It seems that I knew about that somewhere back in another century but have forgotten. I haven't used it in my pie baking in some time. I used the sprinkle outside the crust, that was maybe a half teaspoon, that I used anyway.
I have a favorite butter crust that I make based on a recipe in a 1942 cookbook. It's easy and makes a perfect crust, even without the sprinkle. I have to make an apple pie this weekend so I am going to try the sprinkle on the bottom and see how that turns out.
Thanks 
