Depending on the type of pie you’re making, blind baking may be a critical step in the baking process. When you blind-bake a crust, you essentially bake it without any filling, as this allows for the crust to brown and set before you pour in the filling. It’s important for no-bake pies, which do not need to have their fillings cooked in any capacity, though the same idea can also be applied to par-baked crusts for recipes like pumpkin pie and pecan pie.
Traditionally, blind baking is done in a standard oven. But, this can take a lot of time, as you have to wait for the oven to preheat before you set your pie crust into it. A better option would be to use an air fryer. Essentially, all you need to do is start with a high-quality pie crust recipe. Once your dough has been brought together and chilled properly, you can roll it out and set it into your pie pan of choice. You’ll also want to make sure you poke holes in the bottom of the pie crust and use pie weights, such as beans or rice, to ensure that it doesn’t puff up as it bakes. Once you preheat your air fryer to the perfect setting, slide your crust in and allow it to bake for the time indicated on the recipe. Some recipes may require that you remove the beans and bake the crusts a second time, so make sure that you abide by your set of instructions to ensure that you’re getting the proper bake.
Take note of the size of your pie
The benefit of using an air fryer for this hack is that it frees up your oven to do other things. And, air fryers have been shown to preheat faster than standard ovens, which means you can expedite the process of getting your crusts blind-baked. However, the one notable drawback to using this tabletop appliance to blind-bake your pie crusts is that you’re really limited to what can fit into the basket. Your standard eight to 12-inch pie plate, for example, may not fit into the basket, but if you’re baking personal pies or tiny tarts, you’re in luck. Tiny pie tins are hard to maneuver in a standard oven because the grates tend to be very large. But the air fryer basket has smaller holes, which will make it easier to place your pie crusts flat without worrying about them falling through the grates of the oven.
Depending on the size of your air fryer, you could potentially make three or four blind-baked crusts at a time. These treats are great for parties or when you’re craving a pint-sized version of your favorite dessert.
