How To Fix Runny French Silk Pie (And Avoid It Next Time)

You can fix a runny French silk pie by placing it in the freezer for a few hours or adding cornstarch, tapioca, or flour to the filling. You can avoid a runny pie by cooking it for the appropriate amount of time and using real butter.

Fixing a Runny French Silk Pie

There are two ways you can fix a runny French silk pie, depending on what stage of the recipe you’re at:

• Freeze it for 30 minutes to 2 hours
• Add a thickening agent to the filling

Freeze Your Pie

If you notice your French silk pie is runny after it has been cooked, the best way to fix it is to pop it in the freezer for a few hours.

Here’s how to freeze your pie:

1. Follow your recipe as intended, including any resting time that may be specified. Do not add the whipped cream.
2. If the pie is still soft and runny, place it in the freezer
3. Let it rest for 30-90 minutes, checking occasionally. If you notice your French silk pie is freezing solid, remove it.
4. Once you’ve removed your pie from the oven, top it with whipped cream and serve.

French silk pie is meant to be served either chilled or at room temperature, so you don’t need to wait for it to warm up and become runny. If you aren’t ready to eat your pie once it’s become firm, you can freeze it for up to 3 months.

Thickening the Filling

If you notice the filling is runny before you bake your pie, you can attempt to thicken the filling. There are several items you can use for this purpose, but your best options are:

• Cornstarch
• Tapioca flour
• Flour

If you can choose between the three, I always recommend choosing cornstarch. It’s very easy to add too much flour to your filling, and tapioca flour isn’t as easy to find and use as the other two options. 

You should use about one tablespoon (14.17 grams) of cornstarch for a recipe that calls for four eggs, adjusting the cornstarch as needed depending on your recipe. Incorporate it into the filling well, and it should soak up all the extra liquid without affecting the taste of your filling.

You can also use this method to thicken your pie after it has been baked – however, there’s a lower chance that it will work as compared to freezing the pie. If you want to use cornstarch after the pie has baked, simply sprinkle a thin layer of cornstarch over the pie. 

However, keep in mind that even if sprinkling the cornstarch on the filling works and it soaks in the excess liquid, it will affect the look of your pie.

How To Avoid Runny French Silk Pie

If you want to avoid runny French silk pie, there are a few steps you can take. These include:

• Cook it for long enough. If cooked properly, the pie filling will solidify and thicken, giving you the perfect French silk pie texture you want.
• Use real butter. Some people attempt to substitute margarine for butter to make their French silk pie slightly healthier without affecting the taste. However, this substitution affects the texture of the final product, especially when you’re baking rather than cooking. If you want to be sure of a firm French silk pie, use real butter, or look for a recipe that calls specifically for margarine rather than butter.
• Beat the eggs gradually. If you beat the eggs too quickly, it can make your filling runny. Instead, beat the eggs on the mixer setting recommended by your recipe.

How Do You Rescue a Soggy Bottom Pie?

There are several reasons a pie develops a soggy bottom, one of which is a filling that is too liquidy. If you’ve baked your French silk pie and find you have a runny filling, there’s a good chance your pie also has a soggy bottom. 

To rescue a soggy bottom pie, rebake your pie at 25-50°F, or 3.5-10°C higher than the temperature in the recipe for 10-12 minutes. Alternatively, remove the filling, rebake the bottom pie crust, and put the filling back before serving.

However, you should not use either option for a French silk pie. These options will ruin the aesthetic of the filling. Instead, use the filling to make a trifle.

Unless you are certain the cause of the soggy bottom is the liquid filling rather than an underbaked crust, you shouldn’t eat a soggy bottom pie. If the pie is underbaked, it may still be raw – and eating raw dough can have adverse health implications.

Final Thoughts

You can fix a runny French silk pie by freezing or thickening the filling. You can also take steps to avoid a runny filling by being careful when making the pie and taking the steps mentioned above. 

If the runny pie filling leaves your pie with a soggy bottom, you can rebake it for a few minutes on lower heat to allow the bottom to firm up.

Thanks for stoppin’ by!

For more, don’t miss How To Fix Grainy French Silk Pie (And Avoid It Next Time).