Say goodbye to soggy bottoms with our blind baking primer.
No, blind bakingisn’ta party trick where you bake a cake with your eyes covered.
It’s actually an important step on the road toperfect pumpkin pie.
After all, who has time for soggy pie crust?
What Is Blind Baking?
Think of blind bakingpartially (par-baking) or fully baking a pie crustas a head start for your crust.
This extra step is especially important when it comes to custard pies like pumpkin.
With pastry dough, using weights is critical so you can prevent the pockets.
See that golden brown bottom?
That’s what you’re looking for when blind baking a pie crust.
This step is essential for a sturdy pie.
Don’t wait for a fully baked-looking crust because your pie will bake again with the filling.
Let it cool and it’s ready for filling.
Many recipes instruct you to blind-bake at 400 degrees F, which is too hot.
At thisoven temperature, the fat in the dough melts too fast, creating too much steam.
This extra heat causes the crust to collapse on itself when the pie weights are removed.
This process helps create a more sturdy barrier for your filling so your dough won’t get soggy.
The fat serves as the pan greaser and will stop the crust from adhering to the pan.
No, you should not use wax paper to blind bake your pie crust.
In fact, you should never put wax paper in the oven.
Stick to foil or parchment paper whenever you’re baking.
