Food - Drink
Blind-Baking Vs. Par-Baking Pie Crust: What's The Difference?
By MICHELLE WELSCH
When baking a pie from scratch, some recipes call for crusts to be placed into the oven before any fillings are added, as Goodman Fielder Food Service explains, but how long it should be pre-cooked depends on what exactly you're trying to make. Knowing the difference between blind-baking and par-baking can help you make the perfect pie.
Pies that contain softer, moister, and unbaked fillings call for sturdier crusts that are blind-baked in advance. Blind-baking means that you bake the pie crust completely before filling it with any ingredients; make sure to line the pan the dough is placed in, poke some holes into the bottom of the dough, and weigh it down so it keeps its shape in the oven.
Par-baking is similar to blind-baking, but the amount of time the pie crust is left in the oven is reduced; it means the pie is only partially baked because the actual filling that will be set into the crust will also need to be cooked. Dishes that do well par-baked include classic pecan pies, pumpkin pies, lemon meringue pies, as well as savory pies.