How to blind bake (2024)

FAQs

What happens if you blind bake without weights? ›

If you don't blind bake with weights, or poke holes into the bottom of the crust, the bottom of the crust can puff up.

Fill it about two-thirds full with dried beans, uncooked rice (or other uncooked grain berries), pie weights, or granulated sugar. Bake the crust in a preheated 375°F oven for 20 minutes, set on a baking stone or steel if you have one.

Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6 or the stated temperature for the recipe you are using. Line the tart tin with baking parchment and fill with ceramic baking beans or dried pulses.

Bake with weights in the center.

Add pie weights, dry rice, dried beans or (as I've done here) dry wheat berries, enough to fill the pan 2/3 full. Chill the crust for 30 minutes; this will solidify the fat, which helps prevent shrinkage. Bake in a preheated 375°F oven for 20 minutes.

Dried beans weigh down your pie crust to prevent misshaping during blind baking like traditional pie weights. Dried rice - Another popular pantry ingredient, dried rice is a great aluminum pie weights substitute as the small grains easily fit into smaller pie crusts or tart shell molds.

Pie Weight Substitutes

Beans are a popular choice because their size and shape mimic that of store-bought ceramic beads. You won't be able to cook with the beans after you've baked them, so take that into consideration before pouring the last of your beans into your pie shell.

Typically, you only need to blind bake your crust if you're making a single-crust pie with a pre-cooked filling or a no-bake pie. If you're making a pie with a particularly wet filling, you could always partially blind bake or par-bake (more on this below!) your bottom crust to prevent the bottom from becoming soggy.

If you're new to blind baking, the simplest homemade solution is rice. It acts as a great pastry weight and does not burn – plus it's easy to tip out or save to use again. You can also use dried peas or lentils if you have those in your pantry instead.

Blind Bake Crust: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line the chilled pie dough with aluminum foil and use granulated sugar to fill the whole pie plate. Bake for 40 minutes; remove the foil and sugar and set the crust aside while you make the filling.

This tip comes from Dorie, who says: “Brushing the prebaked bottom crust with beaten egg white before filling your pie is helpful, as is brushing it with melted chocolate — both make good raincoats, one more flavorful than the other.” PJ particularly recommends using melted chocolate when making pecan pie for a candy- ...

Should you poke holes in the bottom of pie crust? ›

With docking, the holes allow steam to escape, so the crust should stay flat against the baking dish when it isn't held down by pie weights or a filling. Otherwise the crust can puff up, not only impacting appearance but also leaving you with less space for whatever filling you have planned.

An egg wash is not necessary when blind baking, though if you want to add some shine to the edges of the pie, you can brush the crust with egg wash after removing the pie weights and before returning the pie to the oven to finish baking.

Parchment paper fared best; its more permeable structure allowed the shell to breathe—and then brown—as it baked. It's our go-to choice for blind baking, with foil as a backup.

3. Return the pastry to a lower shelf of the oven for about 5 minutes, or until the base of the pastry looks dry and feels sandy to touch, but has not taken on any colour. Remove from the oven and allow to cool slightly before using.

What Can You Use Instead of Pie Weights? Instead of pie weights, you can use dried beans or rice, granulated sugar, popcorn kernels or steel ball bearings. If you are not using pie weights, the idea is to mimic what the pie weight does and to make sure that the alternative is oven-safe.

It's not recommended to blind bake without any weight, because the pastry will puff up and it won't cook evenly if there's nothing holding it down. But if you don't have traditional baking beads, you can use dry rice, pasta, beans or even sugar! Anything that's heavy enough to hold down a piece of baking paper.

Line the chilled crust in the pan with parchment or foil. Fill the crust with pie weights completely flush to the top edge of the crust to prevent shrinking or slumping. Place on a rimmed, parchment-lined baking sheet. This will help catch any butter that might bubble over.

Uncooked Rice

Put that big bag of rice in your pantry to good use! It's perfect for weighing down a pie crust—just use enough to cover the bottom. Just be sure to use uncooked rice, as cooked rice gets fluffy and lightweight.