BLIND BAKING BEANS

BAKING BEANS hold crusts in place whilst prebaking for a subsequent filling. These can be used in a pan of any shape. The ceramic beans are safe to use in the microwave. The aluminum ones are not.

NOW: Baking naif that I am I never heard of "Baking Beans" until this moment, much less "Blind Baking." First, they have nothing to do with baked beans.

I went to my fallback the "Food Lover's Companion." I quote: "BLIND BAKE - A term used for baking a pastry shell before it is filled. The shell is usually pricked all over with a fork to prevent it from blistering and rising. Sometimes it is filled with foil or parchment paper, then filled with dried beans or rice or metal or ceramic pie weights. The French sometimes fill the shell with clean round pebbles. The weights and foil or parchment paper should be removed a few minutes before the baking time is over to allow the crust to brown." I have learned something today so it is a good one.

The beans, both aluminum and ceramic, come in a bag.