Natwerk Designs

Have you ever heard of "pie weights"?

I was watching an episode of America's Test Kitchen (on PBS) a while ago, and they were baking an unfilled pie crust. Before they baked it, they loosely covered it with foil and put in what I'm sure they called "pie weights". I have never heard of these before and I've baked many a pie in my years. Do you have or use pie weights?

Public Comments

1. I have pie weights. While they help they are not necessary. A cheaper solution could be using dried beans.
2. It's how Jonathan Ross describes evil men at sea!....
3. They are to keep the crust from bubbling up while baking. I have never used them, myself. I use a fork to put a few tiny holes in the bottom before it bakes. Works for me!
4. I have never used them or even the dried beans in my pie crusts. Seems like extra work to me.
5. Yep, we used to do it at school in domestic science. One week we did needlework and the next week we did cookery. We called it `blind baking`. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blind-baking
6. they make the crust rise evenly
7. Yes. Some people use dried beans instead of buying expensive gourmet pie weights. I recently learned of pie birds - ceramic chimney shaped a baby bird with open mouth - used in baking. One may also make foil cone to vent the steam.
8. I've just recently heard of them also. We never used them when I was growing up and we got along just fine. Mom would just poke a few holes in the crust with a fork before baking an empty crust and it wouldn't bubble on the bottom.
9. Hi hm, yes I recall them being used for 'blind baking'. I generally prick the bottom of the pastry to stop it from rising when making tartlets and quiches, or place grease proof paper along the bottom and sprinkle on some dried split peas or lentils, it does the same job. I also have my Mother's old earthenware 'pie dome' which is placed in the middle of the the dish and helps to support the top layer from dipping.