A pastry shell is baked blind when fillings that do not need cooking are added, or it may be partially baked blind to help it stay crisp when a moist filling is added. Line the molds with dough and chill them. Heat the oven to 425°F/220°C.
Fold a piece of wax or parchment paper into four to make a square about 1 in/2.5 cm larger than one mold. Trim the square to the shape of the mold, leaving a ½ in/1.25 cm border. This gives four paper liners. Press a paper liner into the dough in each mold.
Fill the paper with dried beans or rice. Alternatively, set a second mold on top of the dough to hold it in shape for baking blind.
Cook the tartlets in the oven for 8-10 minutes until firm, then remove the paper and beans (or rice). If baking completely, cook for 8-12 minutes longer until browned. Let the shells cool slightly, unmold them and transfer to a rack to cool. Tartlet shells are fragile and break easily, so they are often replaced in the molds for filling.
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