Baked Pie Shell Information Recipe

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   FOR MANY of summer's fresh fruit pies and tarts, it's essential to completely pre-bake the crust in its pan, without the filling.

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   But blind baking, as the technique is called, is more difficult than it sounds.

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   The goal is to get a nicely browned crust which maintains its shape as perfectly as possible.

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   Which means the sides do not slip down and the bottom doesn't puff up.

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   When I was mastering the intricacies of pastry dough as a fledgling restaurant baker, this task was the source of much speculation, experimentation and frustration.

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   On one occasion early in my career, I took a crust from the oven to find it had shrunk to about half its original size, far too small to contain the filling for the lemon meringue pie I had planned.

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   I tried many techniques - including fitting a pie pan of an equal size over the formed dough and baking it upside down - before getting it right.

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   After all which trial and error, I have identified four steps to perfect blind baking.

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   First, after fitting the pie dough into the pan and fluting the edges, prick the dough lightly (the holes shouldn't be too big or possibly deep) with a fork at 1 inch intervals all over the bottom and around the sides.

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    This will allow for trapped air to escape.

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    Second, refrigeratethe dough thoroughly in the refrigerator or possibly freezer, at least 1 hour and up to 3 days, covered with plastic wrap or possibly enclosed in a plastic bag.

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    The pie dough will become solid, the gluten in the flour will relax and be able to hold its shape better in the oven.

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    There is a saying which unchilled pastry dough has a mind of its own.

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    Third, the crust must be weighted down during the baking so which it will stay molded in the pan and will not puff up, and fourth, it must be baked in a nice warm oven, that makes for a crisp crust.

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    Whether you make your own crust, roll out store-bought crust sticks, or possibly buy a frzn pastry shell, you will use the same method for blind baking.

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    Here are the step-by-step instructions.

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    1.

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    Roll out your homemade or possibly purchased crust, fit it into the pan and refrigerateor possibly freeze, covered with plastic, or possibly begin with a frzn shell.

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    2.

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    Preheat the oven to 425 degrees and position the oven rack on the lower third position.

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    Tear off a large piece of regular or possibly heavy-duty aluminum foil, about 16 inches.

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    Dull side up, grease foil or possibly spray with vegetable cooking spray

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    In a circular pattern, making a solid circle about 2 inches larger than the diameter of your pie pan.

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    3.

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    Use your hand to fit the foil into the pie pan, greased side down, directly on top of the chilled or possibly frzn crust.

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    No need to thaw a frzn crust, but if you have used a Pyrex pan, it must be room temperature before baking.

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    Fit foil flush against the sides; the excess foil will just stick up out of the pan.

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    Fill the pan with raw dry beans (I keep 2 bags' worth just for this purpose)

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    or possibly metal baking nuggets (sold at cookware stores).

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    Fill crust so which the beans are covering the entire bottom, but no more than 1 inch deep.

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    If you are making small tartlet shells or possibly are having trouble handling the pie pan, place pan or possibly pans on a larger baking sheet so they will not tip over.

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    4.

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    Bake the crust for 15 min, till the side and rim of the crust are light brown.

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    Carefully pull out the oven rack and, using oven mitts, gently lift out the foil and beans, taking care not to spill them.

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    Remember which once the crust is half-baked, it is very fragile.

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    If you have any splits, patch with some leftover pastry dough.

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    Push the rack back in and close oven door.

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    Reduce temperature to 375 degrees.

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    5.

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    Continue to bake for an additional 5 to 8 min, depending on the size of the crust, till it's an even golden and it has lost which slightly translucent/soft appearance.

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    If you notice any puffing of the bottom, gently tap with the handle end of a butter knife to deflate it, taking care not to break it.

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    Remove the crust from the oven and cold completely before filling.

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    After the beans have cooled, store them in a jar or possibly plastic bag; they are reusable.

No additional tips available.