chocolate banana pudding pie and Nordic Ware Covered Pie Pan review

So it's been a while, but what better way to begin the first post of a new year than with pie? And a product review. A few weeks back I mentioned that I would be reviewing a product I got from Wayfair, and I chose the Nordic Ware Natural Commercial High Dome Covered Pie Pan. This 10-inch pie pan is constructed from rust-proof aluminum with galvanized steel wire around the rim for extra strength. I'm not sure why that's necessary, but the dish seems very sturdy and good for baking. Accompanying the pie pan is a vented plastic lid that secures on top so that you can store the pie in the same dish. Seems pretty cool.

When I first got the pie pan I opened the box to find that the plastic lid was cracked. There wasn't any padding in the box, though possibly it could have been from the cold. I called Wayfair to let them know the problem and they were quick to help out, sending a replacement order ASAP. The next box arrived without a crack in the lid, though the pie pan had a scratch. Nothing major that would prevent me from baking with it.

Since I was making an "icebox" pie, I blind baked the pie crust. The heat distribution seems good and the crust browned fairly evenly. I like the lip on the edging because it gave me handling room when i removed the pan from the oven. I started off with a chocolate cream pie filling, layering with 'nilla wafers and fresh banana slices. There was only enough room for 2 layers of wafers and bananas, but next time I would have doubled up on the wafers. I like the texture when they become a bit spongy from the custard.

With the egg whites left from separating the yolks, I made a meringue that I spooned and swirled on top and browned under the broiler.

Unfortunately, the lid didn't fit! If you make a nice, high crimped edging, the dome won't seal shut if the crust extends beyond the groove of the rim. Poorly thought out construction, surprising for Nordic Ware. It would have made more sense for the lid to attach around the underside of the rim instead of on the extended wire portion. This way, if you make an open-face pie the sides will still be high enough to accommodate the filling without being worried that it would overflow.

I like the elements of this dish, and I really like the pie pan itself, but I think for $16 plus shipping you could find another pie pan that's just as good unless you make the necessary adjustments with the pie crust sides so that the lid would fit. Overall it's a good buy if you remember about the crust.

One interesting aspect about buying from Wayfair is that if you shop at each individual store, such as Cookware.com, luggage.com, etc., the shopping carts will not be combined. To have your entire purchase in one cart you need to stay on the main Wayfair.com page and search for items you want there. This way, you can combine items to accrue free shipping if you wish, and you won't have to pay shipping twice.