So you’re making a pie and the recipe instructs you to use baking beans to blind-bake it. What are baked beans, exactly? Can you consume them? Where exactly do you obtain them? There are so many questions.

There are two types of baking beans. Dried beans or tiny spherical pie weights may be used. Both are used for the same purpose: to weigh down pie crust during blind baking so that it retains its form during baking.

My name is Angie, and I’ve been baking for almost ten years. Customers like my pies and quiches nearly as much as I do. In this post, I’ll explain what baking beans are and provide some substitutes if you don’t have any on hand.

Let us begin (blind) baking!

Blind Baking

Blind baking, sometimes known as par-baking, is the process of baking a pie dough or crust without any filling. This keeps your pie dough from becoming soggy when you add a moist filling to it, and it also guarantees that the whole pie is uniformly baked throughout.

Beans

When baking beans are included in a recipe, they might refer to either real beans or pie weights. If you opt to include beans, make sure they are entirely raw and dry, else the blind baking will fail. The most popular beans used for blind baking are kidney beans, black beans, and chickpeas.

Chilling your pie dough in the fridge for 30 minutes before par-baking is an optional step. This will ensure that your pie crust retains its form after baking.

To blind bake with beans, just place a piece of parchment paper over your pie dough and sprinkle with enough dry beans to thoroughly cover the insides of the pie. Try not to overlook any locations to avoid the growth of lumps and unevenness.

Bake the pie crust for 15 minutes, or until the edges begin to brown.

Pie Weights

Pie weights are spherical ceramic or metal weights designed particularly for blind baking. They are available at baking supply shops and online. Due of the form of pie weights, they are also known as baking beans.

The procedure remains the same. Cover the pie dough with a layer of parchment paper and set your pie weights on top. This will keep your weights from adhering to your pastry and make removing them after par-baking much simpler.

As previously, bake the pie dough for about 15 minutes, or until the edges are golden brown. The time it takes to bake your pie crust varies based on the recipe, so double-check before you put it in the oven!

Popular Alternatives

What if you don’t have any baked beans? You can still blind bake, don’t worry. Rice, sugar, and popcorn kernels are other common baked bean substitutes.

I prefer them over baking beans since the granules are smaller and can easily reach all of the cracks and crevices in the pie crust. Also, the toasted sugar may be used in a later dish for a more nuanced, caramelized taste.

Roasted rice may also be used to produce Khao Khua, a Thai toasted rice powder that can be used as a thickening agent or to give texture and a nutty taste to a variety of recipes.

FAQs

Do you still have questions about baking beans? Check the answers below.

Where to buy baking beans?

Dry beans are available at every local food shop. Pie weights are available at baking supply stores or online.

What can I use if I don’t have baking beans?

Apart from the common choices I stated above, you may also experiment with lentils, a smaller pie pan, or pennies. I know it seems strange to put pennies on your pie, but believe me when I say it produces excellent results.

Clearly, you should not place coins immediately on top of your pastry. Instead, use a piece of parchment paper and another sheet of foil for further protection.

Do you always have to blind bake pastry?

It is not usually necessary to blind bake pastry. Blind baking is only essential when cooking a pie with moist contents or when the filling cooks quickly.

Can you use marbles as baking beans?

Certain marbles may be used as baking beans; just make sure they are heat resistant and will not burst at the temperature you want to bake at. Glass marbles, in general, can resist temperatures greater than those used for pie baking.

Final Thoughts

Metal beads are utilized to retain your pie form throughout the blind baking process. So the solution is really fairly straightforward. Baking beans might be dried uncooked beans or ceramic beans.

I hope this essay was useful. Good luck with your pie travels, and do share your findings with us in the comments section! If you have any more queries, please do not hesitate to inquire.

Angie’s Bio