Pastry is an art, and just as an artist prepares the canvas, so the pastry chef must prepare the pastry. So, how do you bake blind?
Blind baking involves pre-baking a pastry case, either partially or completely, before adding your filling. Ceramic or dried beans are usually poured into the pastry case, on top of a sheet of greaseproof paper, to prevent the pastry rising when it is in the oven.