How to Bake a Pastry Shell

Prepackaged pasty comes in refrigerated sheets.

Baking an empty pastry shell is often referred to as "baking blind." This baking technique is reserved for use with a no-bake filling that is poured into a cooled pastry shell. A baked pastry shell is usually used with gelatin or cream fillings that are refrigerated after they are poured into the pastry shell. A buttery pastry shell baked in a springform pan can be frozen for up to a month and later used to make a quiche. A partially baked pie shell is used in recipes that call for a short baking period once the filling is poured in or in situations where the filling is so moist that the pie shell won't bake fully with the filling.

Things You'll Need

• Prepackaged refrigerated pastry
• Pie pan
• Sharp knife (optional)
• Buttery pastry
• Rolling pin
• Springform pan
• Homemade pie pastry
• Parchment paper
• Dried beans or rice

Instructions

Prepackaged Refrigerated Pie Pastry

1. Preheat an oven for 15 minutes at 425 degrees.

2. Take out one sheet of pastry from a package of pastry. The package probably comes with two flat sheets of pastry, cut in a circle to fit a pie pan. Put the other piece of pastry back in the refrigerator.

3. Place the folded pastry into the middle of the pie pan with the pointy corner piece pointing in the middle. Most prepackaged pie crust is folded into quarters

4. Unfold the pastry into the pie pan. Cut off any pastry that hangs over the pie pan with a sharp knife.

5. Bake the pastry in a 425 degree oven for about 15 to 20 minutes or until it is light brown.

Buttery Pastry Shell in Springform Pan

1. Preheat an oven to 375 degrees. Place an oven rack in the middle of the oven.

2. Roll out a buttery pastry onto a floured surface. Use a rolling pin to make a circle about 3/6-inch thick and 16 inches wide.

3. Place the pastry dough into a springform pan. Trim any pastry that is hanging over the edge with a sharp knife and press it into any cracks that are in the dough. Press the pastry dough firmly against the sides of the pan.

4. Place a piece of parchment paper over the pastry. Place about 1 inch of dried rice or beans into the bottom of the springform pan. This keeps the pastry from puffing up too much.

5. Bake the pastry for 40 minutes and remove it from the oven. Remove the beans or rice and the parchment paper. Bake for an additional 15 minutes or until the pastry is a rich, brown color.

Partially Baked Homemade Pie Pastry

1. Place one of the oven racks 1/3 up from the bottom of the oven. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

2. Roll out homemade pie pastry that has been previously chilled for at least 30 minutes on a floured surface into a circle big enough to fit in your pie pan. It should be about 3/18-inch thick.

3. Place the pie pastry into the pie shell and cover with parchment paper, allowing some paper to hang over the edge of the pie pan. Fill the pie shell about 1 inch with dried beans or rice.

4. Bake the pie pan in the oven for about 20 minutes or until it reaches a pale golden color. It will not be fully baked.

5. Fill it with your pie ingredients and finish the baking process. The timing will vary according to the filling. Bake until the pie crust is brown.

Tips & Warnings

• Keep the pastry in the refrigerator until you are ready to put it in the pie pan. It is easier to handle when it is cold.

References

• CMU School of Cumputer Science: Baked Pastry Shell
• Help With Cooking: Pastry Techniques Including Covering a Pie Dish and Baking Blind
• Food & Wine: Buttery Pastry Shell
• Inn Cuisine: How to Partially Bake a Pie Crust