Beautiful Ceramic Pie Pans Transition from Oven to Table

We may associate the mouthwatering aroma of a pie baking in the oven with the fall and winter holidays, but pies can feature just about any flavor, so it's essentially always pie season! Sure, apple and pumpkin pie are tried and true fall classics, but key lime and strawberry pies are perfect springtime treats, and summer stone fruits like cherries and peaches are also star pie ingredients. Of course, your pie pan can also be used to make savory dishes like quiches, pot pies and all manner of casseroles. Given all of the opportunities to use it, it's worth investing in a quality pie pan. While pie dishes come in a variety of materials, there's a strong argument to be made for the ceramic pie pan. Unlike other desserts which get removed from their baking dishes before they're served, pie is often brought to the table in the pan in which it was cooked. Since it is both a baking dish and a piece of serveware, your pie pan must be both functional and attractive, and ceramic pie pans allow for a wider variety of colors and designs than pie dishes made of other materials.

Ceramic Pie Pans Options

In addition to their beauty, ceramic tart pans and pie plates are prized for their ability to retain heat, which is helpful for keeping food warm until you're ready to eat. Unlike steel pie dishes, which heat up very quickly, ceramic pie pans are slower to heat, which is ideal if you're baking a large pie and don't want the crust to get over browned while waiting for the filling to cook. Ceramic pans can also go easily from the freezer to the oven or broiler, which is particularly convenient if you need to chill the crust before baking.

The ceramic pie pans in the Williams Sonoma are available in a range of beautiful vibrant colors as well as muted neutrals, so you'll have no problem finding something that complements your existing dinnerware and serving pieces. All of the ceramic tart pan and pie dishes available at Williams Sonoma are handcrafted in France by Emile Henry, a world-renowned, family-owned company that has been producing fine-quality ceramics since 1850. All of these ceramic pans are microwave, oven, broiler, freezer and dishwasher safe, and all come with a 10-year warranty against manufacturing defects. Read on for more about two of your options.

• Emile Henry French Ceramic Ruffled Pie Dish - Inspired by vintage French bakeware, this dish features a gracefully ruffled edge that is modeled after the company's classic pieces from the early 1900s. In addition to being beautiful, the ruffled edge is also a practical feature, making it easier to cut and remove a single slice of pie. This dish is available in white as well as deeply saturated shades of red, yellow, green and navy blue. The white dish is also available in a set that comes with a maple rolling pin.
• Emile Henry French Ceramic Potter Pie Dish - This Williams Sonoma exclusive is from Emile Henry's Potter Collection, which features designs from decades past that offer the modern functionality that today's bakers and cooks expect. Available in white and French grey, this ceramic pie dish features a durable, hand-applied glaze that won't chip, crack or absorb odors and flavors.

Let Williams Sonoma Do the Baking

Even if you've found the perfect ceramic pie pan and have all your pastry tools at the ready, life can occasionally get in the way of a leisurely afternoon spent preparing a pie. Fortunately, Williams Sonoma has a wide selection of gourmet pies that can be shipped directly to your home. These pies are shipped frozen from celebrated bakeries across the country, and they arrive ready to heat and serve or to pop in the freezer until they're needed. Options include apple crumb pie, chocolate caramel mousse pie, pecan pie and more.