Definition: Blind baking is when a crust for a pie or tart is baked before the filling is added. This is done when the filling does not need to be baked, or if the filling does not need to bake as long as the crust does.
Baked Goods That Utilize Blind Baking: Most tarts and pies with no-bake fillings or custard fillings.
Tips for Blind Baking: Make sure you blind-bake with pie weights in your crust to prevent it from shrinking or puffing up too much in the oven. We will review this more in Chapter 8.