Tala Ceramic Baking Beans - Reusable Heat Resistant Blind Weights - Oven Beads for Pies, Tarts, and Pastry Crusts - Baking Accessories - Approx. 700g

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It also reduces the likelihood that your foil or parchment paper will stick, or that you will damage any fancy fluting. That’s because blind baking removes any excess moisture from the dough which could slow down the baking process of your filling. It is only the base of the pastry case that needs blind baking; the pastry case lid can go over the topping and be baked at the same time as the filling. While raisins may seem like an unlikely substitute for baking beans, they actually work really well because they absorb moisture from the oven, helping your crust stay crispier on top. While you might be able to get away with a slightly soggy base, serving up a pie where the crust still feels like dough or which doesn’t even hold together is inexcusable.

Some easy alternatives for pie weights include dried rice, beans, or corn, steel balls, metal chains, sugar, and a second, smaller pie form. Why not purchase a set of nested pie forms that will allow you to take advantage of this ingenious technique?Popcorn kernels are an excellent alternative to regular baking beans because they’re inexpensive, easy to find, and they do a great job at preventing your crust from puffing up while it bakes. This is entirely understandable, as once the filling is baked to our liking, we have to remove the pie to prevent it from burning or over-cooking.

In some recipes, such as those for fresh fruit tarts, cream pies or chocolate pudding, the crust is baked but not the filling. It helps the steam escape, and can reduce the amount that a crust puffs up, but the sides can still be a problem and wet fillings can seep through these holes into the crust, making it soggy. Perhaps the most ingenious substitute is to lay another, smaller pie form over your parchment paper or aluminum foil. Steel or ceramic balls will likely be heavier than dried beans, so you may need to use several layers to compensate.Additionally, the casserole dish will not absorb the heat of the oven like some other materials, so it will not cause the dough to become overcooked. Generally, you'll want to blind bake a pie crust destined to hold a filling that requires little to no oven time itself. If you don’t have any of these on hand, you can also use aluminum foil balls or wads of parchment paper. Additionally, black beans are relatively inexpensive and easy to find, making them a great option if you don’t have baking beans on hand.