Fruit Pie Thickeners
 

I was on the King Arthur Flour site this morning and found my way to a section that discusses the various types of thickeners that can be used when baking a fruit pie. I had no idea that there were that many options! The types that they mention are:

Flour, tapioca, corn starch, Instant Clear Gel and Pie Enhancer. I've never used, or even heard of the last two. Has anyone else ever used them?

~ C

Other than flour & corn starch, I had never heard of any of the others for a thickener. Good to know there are more options.

Tapioca powder is my preference for a "clear" fruit pie thickener.
Much nicer than the corn starch, as it can sometimes go "milky" when the pie is cold.

The tapioca powder is also great for a stew thickener.

I love using tapioca in my fruit pies. Also cornstarch, flour is third choice for pies, but flour is my first choice for gravy.

I think the "instant clear gel" stuff is like what you mix/buy in a jar for fresh/uncooked strawberry pie. I've used that too, especially for strawberry pizza which goes over well at potlucks. Basically a shortbread cookie crust with a layer of cream cheese/whipped cream sort of stuff, plus the fresh fruit and gel on top.

Clear Jel is modified corn starch that can be used in high heat and/or high acid situations like making canned pie filling, or canned soups. It thickens as it cools so the heat can penetrate throughout the canning jar. It is the only thickening agent recommended by the USDA for canning.

Instant Clear Jel will thicken cold liquids. It lets you freeze or refrigerate fruit pies, or thicken fruit pie filling before putting it in a crust and then baking. It can only be heated once without breaking down. It needs to be mixed with sugar to help it distribute evenly.

Pie filling enhancer is is instant Clear Jel mixed with ascorbic acid and superfine sugar. It is about 50 percent sugar so you have to cut back on the amount of sugar called for in your recipe.

The clear jel is listed on cans of pie fillings as modified corn starch. The cooking version has been around for some time. It is the only version I use for my pie filling, fresh/frozen/canned.
The instant is good for homemade instant pudding recipes, I found recipes online.
I buy mine at a Mennonite bulk store.

Thanks for the info on Instant Clear Jel. I have some in my cupboard but have never used it. I got it at a Mennonite store, but haven't gotten up the nerve to try it.

I have used Clear Jel in canning. I like making canned peach pie filling--such a wonderful taste of summer in the middle of winter--and it works very well. It retains its thickening properties during the canning process and seems to be completely tasteless.