Which statement best describes the purpose of blind baking?

• A. Not baking crust at all
• B. Pre-baking a crust before filling; used for custard tarts, cream pies, or dairy fillings that set after baking
• C. Frying crust
• D. Baking crust with filling

Answer: (B)

Blind baking is baking the crust before any filling is added. The goal is to dry and set the crust so it stays crisp and doesn’t become soggy from a moist filling or from fillings that need baking to set, like custards or dairy-based pies. This technique is especially important for custard tarts, cream pies, and other fillings that will set as they bake, because the crust needs to be cooked through and firm beforehand. To prevent the crust from shrinking or puffing, it’s typically lined with parchment or foil and weighed with pie weights, dried beans, or rice. If you bake the crust with the filling, you risk a crust that isn’t fully set or ends up soggy; blind baking isolates the crust’s texture from the filling’s moisture.