What Happens If You Don t Use Pie Weights?

What Happens if You Don’t Use Pie Weights

When making a pie crust, it may be necessary to blind bake it (prebake) in order to prevent the bottom from puffing up and shrinking during baking. This is done by lining the inside of the crust with parchment paper and filling it with small ceramic or metal balls – commonly referred to as pie weights.

If you don’t have pie weights on hand, dried beans, rice or popcorn kernels can be used instead of pre-bought ones. Be sure to label them clearly and store them in a container so that you can reuse them again for blind baking.

Dried Beans as a Substitute for Pie Weights

When your recipe calls for pie weights, you can easily make your own by lining the inside of the crust with foil or parchment paper and filling it with dry beans, rice, or popcorn kernels. This works just as well as store-bought pie weights and is much more economical too!

Dried Beans Make Great Blind Baking Filling

Dried beans are an ideal substitute for ceramic pie weights due to their similar size and weight. Plus, their bulky side will create pressure on the sides of your dough without creating holes in its crust.

Rice – Rice can be an excellent substitute for pie weights, creating even pressure on the sides of your pie and keeping its crust crisp and smooth. Just remember that once used as a weight, it won’t cook properly so only use it blind baking and store in an appropriately labeled jar for future use.

Steel Balls – An Innovative Solution to Your Pie Crust Problem

You can substitute pie weights for your crust with small steel balls, which you can find at most hardware stores. Not only do these weights support the sides of your crust and prevent it from puffing up, but they conduct heat to bake the bottom from all sides, creating a browner and more evenly baked crust.

Aluminum Foil for Blind Baking

Aluminum foil makes an excellent substitute for pie weights, as it prevents them from sticking to the bottom and makes removal much simpler. This is especially helpful when working with crusts with thicker rims since removing weights without damaging the top may prove more challenging.

Piercing – As an alternative to pie weights, this technique is great for keeping the edges of your crust from overbaking and shrinking as it bakes. Unfortunately, it’s not quite as successful at preventing puffing up or burping open during baking. Furthermore, it helps make it easier to remove from the pan but may allow wet pie fillings to seep into cracks in the crust, leading to soggy pies.