How to Blind Bake
Let’s face it – no-one ever wants a soggy bottom. If you’re cooking a pie or tart with a wet filling, it usually pays to blind bake the pastry first. To do this, you can either use ceramic baking beads (lose, or strung together), or even rice or lentils. Blind baking is best done after the pastry has had time to chill in the fridge in it’s dish, to avoid shrinkage.
- First, line the uncooked pastry with non-stick baking paper, leaving a little to overhang. Pour the beans on top.
- Place the dish on a baking tray, and cook at 200°C for around 8-10 mins.
- Remove the baking paper, and the beads, and continue baking for another 5-10 mins or until the pastry is lightly golden.
If you’ve used rice or lentils, they aren’t then suitable to eat afterwards. You can however re-use them as baking beads multiple times. Just let them cool then pour into a sealed container and save for next time. And of course, actual baking beads (like those below) can be used multiple times. 