When to Use

• Use weights to partially bake a pie or quiche crust before you add the filling. This process is called blind baking; it is used when the filling either does not need to be cooked or requires a shorter baking time. Weights help the crust hold its shape during baking, preventing the sides from shrinking or the middle from puffing up. Blind baking prevents sogginess and ensures a crisp, flaky texture to your crust.

What to Use

• Traditional pie weights are small, ceramic or stainless steel balls; some are strung together on a chain, making it easier to remove them from the pie dish. You can also use rice or lentils: place them in a large ziplock bag to re-use as weights. Pennies work, too, since they lay flat and conduct heat efficiently. Alternatively, you can use a single, ventillated pie weight made of a perforated metal disc surrounded by silicone flaps. A single weight is easier to handle.

How to Use

• Line the pie crust with a well greased piece of aluminum foil or parchment paper, face down, allowing extra foil or paper to hang over the sides. Fill with weights and bake according to recipe instructions. Bake at 375 degrees Fahrenheit for about 25 to 30 minutes, until the dough looks dry and lightly browned. Lift the foil or paper and place weights into a bowl. Add filling and continue baking per the recipe instructions, or finish baking without weights for 10 to 12 minutes, cool, then fill.

Things to Consider

• To make adding and removing weights easier, place them in an oven-proof bag so you can transfer them all at once. Instead of using weights, you might try docking your crust by pricking it with holes. This serves the same purpose, preventing shriveling and puffing. This may not be wise, however, if the filling has liquid that could leak through the holes. For best results, follow the specific instructions in your recipe.