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How to “Blind” bake

What is blind baking?
Baking a pastry crust without its filling, weighing it down to prevent it from rising and keep its shape.

Why blind bake?

•	Some pies are baked with a filling and have a pastry “lid” on top and these don’t need to be blind baked.
•	Some, like a quiche, have squishy fillings and need the pastry part cooked before adding the filling to cook.
•	Other pies you just want a bottom which is cooked, cooled and then you add a gooey filling, for example a lemon meringue pie.

Stuff you need

•	Pie dish or cake pan
•	Sweet or savoury pastry
•	Baking paper
•	Baking spray
•	Uncooked rice (or lentils, or dried beans or baking weights) (Specialty baking shops sell baking weights called “loading” and these can be used over and over again.)
•	Heatproof oven mitts
•	Heatproof stand

Your Mission

Step 1:
Using baking spray lightly spray, inside the pie or cake pan.

Step 2:
Gently place rolled-out pastry into the lightly sprayed pan.

Step 3:
Press the pastry lightly into the pan, very gently pushing it into the corners of the pan with your fingers.

Step 4:
Trim off any overflowing pastry.

Step 5:
Gently cover the pastry with a piece of baking paper that is approximately 2-3 cm larger than the top of the pastry.

Step 6:
Spread the uncooked rice, (or lentils, or beans or baking weights) evenly over paper (approximately 5mm deep), taking care not to spill any onto the pastry.

Step 7:
Place the pastry case into the oven and bake as long as directed by the recipe. When cooked, put your heatproof oven mitts on and carefully take out of the oven. Put on a heatproof stand to cool for 2-3 minutes. Gently pick up the four corners of the paper keeping the uncooked rice (or lentils, or beans or baking weights) inside, and remove from the pan.

Step 8:
Take off your heatproof oven mitts and leave the paper and uncooked rice (or lentils, or beans or baking weights) aside to cool. When the rice (or lentils, or beans or baking weights) have totally cooled put them into an airtight container for next time.

Step 9

Step 9:
Your cooked and cooled pastry case is now ready to be filled. Yum!

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