BeyondWonderful.com: Barbara Adams, How To Blind Bake a Tart Shell

HOW TO
How To Blind Bake a Tart Shell

“Blind baking” is simply baking an empty tart shell. The trick is lining the shell with something heavy that takes the place of filling, forcing the pastry to hold its shape under the stress of baking. Without this weight in place, when the empty shell hits the oven it will puff on the bottom, collapse on the sides and generally end up useless.

You can buy nifty “pie weights” at specialty stores—or just use dried beans or uncooked rice instead. The same batch of beans can be used over and over again for this purpose. (Just don’t confuse them with beans you intend to cook!)

		1. Roll pastry according to your recipe’s instructions, creating a circle about 2 inches larger in diameter than your tart pan.

		2. Carefully lay the pastry over the pan.

		3. Ease the pastry onto the bottom and sides of the pan. Do not stretch the dough, but rather press it gently into place.

		4. Use the heel of your hand to press firmly against the top rim of the pan, removing excess overhanging dough and forming a smooth, neat edge.

		5. Prick the bottom of the tart in several places with a fork.

		6. Place the formed tart shell in the freezer for a few minutes to cool down while you preheat the oven.

		7. Cut a round of parchment paper a couple of inches larger in diameter than your tart pan. (It doesn’t have to be perfect.)

		8. Ease the paper into the pan as you did the dough, pressing along the edge between the bottom and sides of the pan for a smooth fit.

		9.Line the shell with pie weights, dried beans or uncooked rice to weigh down the pastry.

		10. Bake in a preheated oven according to your recipe’s instructions.

		11. For par-baking, remove the tart shell from the oven when the edges are lightly colored and the bottom is barely dry. (Gently lift the edge of the parchment to check underneath.)

		12. Working slowly and carefully, grasp the edges of the parchment and lift out the weights. If any of the bottom crust gets dislodged, press it back in place with your fingers. Finish the tart as directed in your recipe.

		13. For a fully baked crust, return the par-baked shell to the oven without weights and bake until the bottom is crisp and golden. If the bottom puffs during the final stage of baking, immediately use fingertips or the back of a fork to gently press it back down.


		Barbara Adams Beyond Wonderful Cooking Techniques