How to Blind-Bake a Pie Crust

Blind baking is nothing more than prebaking an unfilled pie shell. This technique comes in handy when the filling is extra juicy, the crust takes less time to cook than the filling, or the filling requires no baking at all. To bake blind, cover the prepared, empty shell with foil or parchment paper and fill it with weights—they keep the bottom of the crust from puffing and the sides from collapsing. Dry beans, pennies, or rice work just as well as purchased pie weights. And the foil prevents the weights from baking into the dough. To brown the crust, remove the weights and foil during the last few minutes of baking.

Tags: Equipment, Baking, Desserts