There are skills that can seem confusing or intimidating in the kitchen, and “blind baking pie crust” is no doubt one of them. Making a pie can already seem daunting enough, but throw in “blind baking,” and it’s no surprise it sends shivers down your spine. Thankfully, blind baking doesn’t mean you have to wear a blindfold into the kitchen, cook with the lights off, or start improvising a recipe. Although the name might seem menacing, blind baking a pie crust is just a phrase that indicates you’re baking a pie crust without the filling. Scary? No. Simple? Yes.If you’ve never made a blind bake pie, you might be wondering why you would want to bake an empty pie crust, and how to go about doing it. Luckily, with the right information, you won’t have to stumble in the dark. Here’s everything you need to know about making a blind bake crust.
What Is It?
Blind baking something is simple: it just means baking a pie crust partially or sometimes completely before adding the filling. Sometimes it makes sense to stick filled crust in the oven in one go, but there are a number situations where blind baking a crust can help maintain the texture of the crust when cooking a pie. Plus, there are situations when you don’t need to bake a pie filling, which requires some crust prep ahead of time. There are a few different methods to blind baking a pie crust, and choosing which to do depends on the tools you have, along with what type of food you’re cooking. It can be tempting to skip this step, but it is required for some recipes. Plus, many avid bakers swear by blind baking to help perfect the taste and texture of their pies. Without it, your recipe may not come out as intended.
Why You Would Want to Do It?
Now that you know what blind baking is, it’s important to know when it’s appropriate to implement it into your pie prep. In general, blind baking a pie crust can help prevent the pie crust from getting too soggy, especially if you are using a wet filling. A prebaked pie shell creates a noticeable definition between the crust and filling, leaving the crust flaky and crisp against the soft filling. It also is necessary when a recipe calls for a filling with a shorter bake time than the crust. In this case, the crust would be partially baked before the filling is added. Most of the time, a blind bake crust is necessary for recipes that involve custard or any other unbaked filling.
When You Should Do It
The most common recipes that require making a blind bake pie are those made with custard or cream, and those made with unbaked fillings. These include recipes such as pumpkin pie, French silk pie, egg custard pie, lemon meringue pie, banana cream pie, buttermilk pie, etc. Think recipes that include a liquid-like filling. Sometimes savory recipes will call for this as well, such as quiche. Since these types of pies are typically baked at a lower temperature and for less time than fruit pies, there isn’t much risk of overbaking the shell.If a recipe doesn’t include a bake time for your filling, then you should go ahead and blind bake your crust ahead of time. A blind baked crust can also take the place of a prebaked crust you would buy at the grocery store. Finally, if a recipe calls for a crust that is “cooked and cooled,” that indicates that you should be blind baking your crust before continuing with the recipe. Blind baking the crust helps the crust stay firm, so it’s able to handle these wetter fillings.On the flip side, there are times you should never blind bake a pie crust. These include making traditional fruit pies, especially if it has a double crust. If you blind bake a pie with a double crust, you’ll be unable to attach the top pastry if the shell is already baked, since the edge of the shell will be too dry to adhere. It’s possible to blind bake a fruit pie crust that involves a crumb topping, but this can often lead to an overbaked crust. In these instances, you’re better off skipping blind baking, unless otherwise stated in the recipe.
What to Consider
Although making a blind bake pie crust can lead to a more delicious pie with specific, intended textures, there is also room for error that can ruin the consistency of your pie. There are a couple of potential issues worth noting that you should be aware of when preparing your crust. First, when you blind bake a crust, shrinkage does occur. This means the pie shell won't hold as much filling, which increases the rate at which the remaining filling will bake. This can lead to cracked and curdled custard pies if you’re not careful. Second, if you don’t properly prepare the pie dough — whether that means using poor-quality ingredients, not allowing the dough to reach the right temperature, or not melting the butter at the right rate — your pie crust can become greasy or misshapen. It can take some trial and error, but with the right techniques, you can create a blind baked crust that’s just as impressive as a store-bought option.
How to Do It
A blind bake pie crust can be made using a few different methods. You’ll want to start with a good recipe and make sure you have the right tools, including a sturdy pie plate and rolling pin. In some cases, you may want to have pie weights (see below), but this depends on the technique you choose.In any case, blind baking a crust first begins with preparing the dough. Then you roll the dough, shape it to the pie plate, and chill. Cooling is important, as it can help relax the dough and make sure the butter melts at the right rate. Some recipes call for dough that is chilled prior to shaping as well, but you can also just make the dough, shape it, and cool it in the pie plate all at the same time, provided it doesn’t get too warm when preparing it. Refrigerate the pie dough for at least two hours before baking.Next up, of course, involves baking your pie dough, which can be done in a number of ways. Here are some techniques you can use to blind bake a pie crust.Pie WeightsPie weights are used to prevent the crust from puffing up and forming air pockets while baking by weighing down the dough. This helps the crust hold its shape and stay firm against the pie pan. Some people purchase special ceramic pie weights, but many people use dried beans that they have at home. Others simply use sugar.Of course, you don’t want to place these weights directly on the dough, which is why recipes call for lining your pie shell with parchment paper or aluminum foil. Because parchment paper can absorb the butter from your dough, many people prefer using aluminum foil, which can also help keep your pie shell looking smooth.Once your pie crust has been weighted, place it in the oven and bake away. Some recipes will have you keep your pie crust weighted the entire time, often at a lower temperature for a longer amount of time. Other recipes will have you remove the weights and dock your pie with the tines of a fork before baking the remainder of the time. DockingSome recipes call for docking after using pie weights, but some people prefer to skip the pie weights altogether and stick to docking alone. Docking involves pricking the entire crust with the tines of a fork. This allows steam to escape from the pie hole pricks, which prevents the crust from puffing or bubbling up. This also can lead to a shorter bake time, although it doesn’t always work with all types of recipes.When it doubt, you can stick to using both pie weights and docking, but experiment to find the best process for you. Once you’ve blind baked your pie crust using one or both of these techniques, you’ll want to cool the crust before filling.Although a blind bake pie crust does take some extra steps, it can sometimes be necessary depending on the type of pie you’re making or if you’re trying to attain a certain special texture. It’s tempting to ditch the effort entirely and head to the store to buy a frozen crust, but blind baking your own crust can lead to a pie that’s just the right texture, and it can take your dessert to the next level. With the right ingredients, the right recipe, and the right practice, you’ll find that you can perfect blind baking in no time.
