Define blind baking and typical applications.

• A. Frying crust
• B. Baking with filling
• C. Cooling crust before baking
• D. Pre-baking a crust before filling; used for custard tarts, cream pies, or dairy fillings that set after baking

Answer: (D)

Blind baking is pre-baking a crust before adding the filling. The goal is to set and crisp the crust so it doesn’t become soggy when a wet or long-baking filling goes in. This approach is especially important for custard tarts, cream pies, or dairy fillings that set after baking, where the filling may release moisture or need extra baking time. In practice, you line the crust with parchment, weigh it with pie weights or dried beans, bake until the edges set, remove the weights, and finish baking the crust before filling. This keeps the crust flaky and fully cooked, rather than relying on the filling to bake the crust at the same time.