Don Neher of Golden Grains Bakery in Melfort, holds a perfectly circular pie on March 14, Pi Day. (submitted photo/Golden Grains Bakery)

By Susan McNeil

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Mar 14, 2023 | 1:00 PM

Once a year, math lovers and bakers have something extra in common with the celebration of Pi Day on March 14 – 3.14 for non-pi lovers.

To celebrate, paNOW reached out to several bakeries on the concept of pi and pie and what is involved in the perfect pie.

In Prince Albert, Sweet Stells Cakes and More owner Christel Hill has some advice for home bakers on getting a pie crust to stay round even after baking – satisfying both types of pi(e) lover.

“Pie crusts for the most part should stay round. You need to have cool ingredients as you’re making it,” Hill said.

Christel Hill of Sweet Stells did not have a pie but did have a perfectly circular cake on March 14, Pi Day. (Susan McNeil/paNOW Staff)

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Having cold ingredients also helps the pie crust stay flaky when baked.

The role of ingredient temperature is key, agreed Don Neher, owner of Golden Grain Bakery in Melfort. He also has a few other tricks up his sleeve.

“If you’re making pie shells for pre-baked lemon pies or something, you can always put some extra pie plates on top so they don’t shrink up on you,” he said.

Some bakery supply companies sell special beads to put in the crust to add weight.

“And just making sure your dough’s relaxed when you put it in the pie plate before you cover it so it doesn’t shrink back on you,” Neher said.

Having the right recipe is also good and making sure to not overmix it. Small chunks of shortening should still be visible in the finished dough.

Golden Grains does sell finished pies but Nehr said they also sell balls of frozen dough which customers buy then take home and finish with whatever filling they want.

To Neher, there is a perfect constellation of pairings when it comes to pie consumption.

“Ice cream of course, and a coffee,” he said.

Hill makes pie mainly by custom order and with a variety of crusts such as flaky pastry or graham crumbs.

The most popular flavour seems to be apple, followed by pumpkin or lemon meringue in Prince Albert but in Melfort, Nehr said that while they also sell a lot of apple pie, people love raisin for some reason.

A strawberry rhubarb and an apple pie, a delicious part of Pi Day. (Susan McNeil/paNOW Staff)

Sweet Stells gets regular requests for pies at the store front and said how it’s eaten is unique to the pie and the person eating it.

“I think pie is a pretty good comfort food,” Hill said. “Each pie is its own special thing, so with whipped cream or, if you’re going to have it for breakfast, I guess coffee is the way to go.”

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susan.mcneil@pattisonmedia.com