barbaral@tekig1.UUCP (09/26/83)
I have some questions about graham cracker crusts. Do you have to bake them, or can you use them without baking (after all the graham crackers aren't raw)? Sometimes when I make a graham cracker crust, it sticks to the pie pan and I can hardly get the piece of cheesecake/pie out without making a big mess. I can't figure out why this happens some of the time, and other times I have no problem. By the way, I usually melt the butter right in the pie pan, and mix the crust right in the pie pan. Perhaps I need to mix the crust elsewhere, and grease the pie pan? I think I have less of a crust- sticking problem with my pyrex pie pan than with a metal one, but I'm not sure. Has anyone tried cooking the crust in the microwave oven? I have, but it doesn't turn out the same as baking the crust. I made an Oreo Ice Cream pie last nite. It was delicious, but I had trouble serving it because the oreo crust stuck to the pan. If anyone is interested in the recipe, let me know and I'll post it. It was in the FOOD DAY newspaper insert last week.
leimkuhl@uiuccsb.UUCP (09/29/83)
#R:tekig1:-138700:uiuccsb:7000006:000:710 uiuccsb!leimkuhl Sep 28 11:00:00 1983 You don't have to bake your Graham Cracker crust, but you definitely need to make the crust separately and butter the pan before pressing the crust in. The best way to line the pan with butter is to first chill it, then brush it lightly with melted butter. The butter will congeal on the pan. Next press the crushed Grahams/butter/sugar mixture into the pan, firmly pressing down so there are no loose spots. Finally, and here is the key, chill the crust until you are ready to use it (at least an hour). This may seem like a lot of work, but I've used it for years with my springform pans when making cheesecake, and I've never had one stick. Ben Leimkuhler