The ultimate how to blind bake pastry case crust from a bake off finalist, by Luis Troyano on YouTube. 13 min 24 s.
- Video length
- 13 min 24 s
- Time to do it
- 40 minutes
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Steps
- 9
What you need
Steps
Heat the oven to 200C (180C fan, gas 6). Lightly grease your tart tin so the pastry releases cleanly after baking.
Roll the shortcrust pastry on a lightly floured surface to about 3mm thick. Make it a few centimetres wider than your tart tin.
Lift the pastry over the rolling pin and drape it into the tin. Press it gently into the corners without stretching, then trim the overhang.
Prick the base all over with a fork. Chill the lined tin in the fridge for 15 minutes to firm the pastry and reduce shrinking.
Scrunch a sheet of baking paper, unfold it and press it into the case. Fill right to the top with ceramic baking beans or dried rice.
Bake for 15 to 20 minutes until the pastry edges are pale golden and set. The paper and beans hold the base flat while it cooks.
Lift out the paper and beans with care, using oven gloves. Return the case to the oven for 5 to 10 minutes to dry the base.
If your filling is wet, brush the inside base and sides with beaten egg. Bake for 2 to 3 minutes more until glossy and set.
Leave the case to cool in the tin for 5 minutes, then lift it out onto a wire rack. Fill once cool unless the recipe says otherwise.
Tips and common mistakes
Use oven gloves whenever you move the hot tin or lift out the paper and beans.
Dried rice or lentils work if you have no ceramic beans, but keep them in a jar for baking only.
Do not skip the chill; warm pastry slumps down the sides and shrinks away from the tin.
Patch small cracks with spare pastry before baking so a wet filling cannot leak through.
Questions
Can I blind bake pastry without baking beans?
Yes, but you need weight to hold the base flat. Dried rice, lentils or dried beans work, and you can reuse them for baking only.
How long should I blind bake a pastry case?
Bake it covered for 15 to 20 minutes, then uncovered for 5 to 10 minutes. A wet filling needs the extra egg wash and 2 to 3 minutes more.
Why is my pastry base soggy?
The base was probably underbaked or the filling went in while the case was still warm. Bake until dry and biscuit-coloured, and seal with egg for wet fillings.
This guide was drafted from the video's details and general task knowledge. It has not been checked against the full video. Check the video and relevant product instructions before following a procedure. Report a correction.
