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I've got a pumpkin pie recipe that calls for baking at 425F for 15 minutes, then 30-40 minutes at 350F. When I bake it in my countertop oven, the crust comes out underdone in the middle.

I think this might be because my oven cools to the lower temperature in just a minute or two, while the recipe assumes a slower cooling rate and more cooking at the higher temperature. How much time should I add to get the effect of slower cooling? (I assume there's no benefit to stepping the temperature down gradually.)

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    Have you checked your oven temperature using a thermometer? You should calibrate that before you start worrying about cooling rates. And if you can, stop cooking based on whether the food is in the right state rather than just going by times.
    – dbmag9
    Dec 18, 2022 at 22:37
  • I've checked it with a thermometer -- that's how I know it cools so fast. And if you can tell me how to check the bottom-center of a pie crust to see if it'll be done after another 30-40 minutes at 350F, I'm all ears.
    – Mark
    Dec 18, 2022 at 22:54
  • If you want a pumkin pie crust to be done in the middle, you need to blind-bake it.
    – FuzzyChef
    Dec 19, 2022 at 4:15
  • Are you blind baking the crust?
    – GdD
    Dec 19, 2022 at 8:50

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If I understand correctly, you are leaving your pie in the oven the whole time. However, for informational purposes...most recipes for baked items that change oven temperature mid-recipe, assume you are leaving the item in the oven the entire time. Put the pie it at 425, then, after 15 minutes, turn the oven down to 350...but don't remove the pie. As for suggestions, you might invest in a thermocouple, that you can use to keep an eye on the bottom center crust temp. You could also try putting some foil around the crust (so it doesn't burn) and leaving it in the oven for a longer time. Finally, you could experiment with the location in the oven. Maybe baking on the lowest rack.

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