Blind baking refers to pre-baking, usually pastry, before adding a filling. Most chefs blind bake pastry when the filling is very moist, baking time is short, and to make the crust sturdier. For many crusts, pre-baking also results in a crisper end product. Sylvia from Oak Hill has a recipe that asks for a “blind baked” shell. Sylvia, if your recipe includes a filling that is itself not baked along with the crust, then remove your crust from the pan before filling. Also, feel free to call our pastry chefs at ChefsLine, 1-800-977-1224, if you would like to review your recipe and baking process with us.

Some tips for blind baking include:

“Dock” your crust. Using a fork, poke holes every inch along the bottom of the pan. These holes will help steam escape and keep your pastry even.

Weight your pastry. Place parchment paper on top of your crust. Spread dry beans or pastry weights over the pan.