What is blind baking and when is it used?

• A. Pre-baking a crust with weights or parchment to prevent soggy bottoms, used for pies with wet fillings or tarts.
• B. Cooling crust after baking.
• C. Baking with a top crust only.
• D. Adding sugar to bake time.

Answer: (A)

Blind baking means baking a pie crust before adding the filling, usually with parchment or foil and weights to keep the crust from puffing, shrinking, or becoming soggy. This technique is used when the filling is very wet or needs a longer bake time than the crust would on its own, so the crust stays crisp instead of soaking up moisture.

In practice, you chill the dough, line the pan, cover it with parchment or foil, and place weights (like pie weights or dried beans) on top. The crust bakes enough to set while the weights hold the structure and prevent air from puffing it up. After a partial bake, you remove the weights and parchment and finish baking with the filling or for a complete bake if the filling is custardy or needs a fully baked crust.

This approach is what prevents soggy bottoms in pies with wet fillings or tart shells that require a fully baked crust before filling. Choices that describe cooling after baking, using only a top crust, or adding sugar to bake time don’t address pre-baking and moisture control.