Blind baking. Why?

[Kermit power]

Evening folks,

I've been trundling around the web looking for guidance on how to put together a gruyere and chive tarte, and I have managed to confuse myself.

Every UK website I've looked at tells me I have to blind bake the shortcrust pastry. Meanwhile, every French website I've looked at just tells me to stick the topping straight in without bothering.

I'll try the French approach tonight, given that I possess neither "baking beans" (what the hell are baking beans???) nor uncooked rice, but I'm perplexed as to why there is a difference in the first place?

[randlemarcus]

Raw pastry absorbs flavours and may absorb liquid. Blind baking simply means you have a sealed layer into which to pour the liquid filling.

Same principle as a tablespoon of olive oil smeared across a pizza base to prevent the sauce soaking in.

[Kermit power]

Hmm. So long as the pastry in my gruyere and chive tarte isn't absorbing flavours of jelly and custard, I guess I'll go with the French then!

[calibrax]

It's not so much about it absorbing flavour, as you said that isn't a problem as it's all part of the same tart. It's about moisture. Your tart will have a soggy base if it isn't blind baked. It doesn't have to be baking beans or rice, just anything that can take the heat will do... you could even use a smaller pie dish, it's just something to stop the base rising as it cooks.

[Kermit power]

calibrax said:

It's not so much about it absorbing flavour, as you said that isn't a problem as it's all part of the same tart. It's about moisture. Your tart will have a soggy base if it isn't blind baked. It doesn't have to be baking beans or rice, just anything that can take the heat will do... you could even use a smaller pie dish, it's just something to stop the base rising as it cooks.

Ah. That makes a lot of sense. It doesn't explain why the French don't do it though? I wouldn't say I've ever found French tartes to be soggier than British ones.

[randlemarcus]

Kermit power said:

Ah. That makes a lot of sense. It doesn't explain why the French don't do it though? I wouldn't say I've ever found French tartes to be soggier than British ones.

[sensible] We seem to prefer a slightly crisper base, as opposed to the crisp bottom with a slightly translucent transition to the filling [/sensible]

Definitely Lithuanian. Just me?

[marshalla]

The French are far more precise in their grading of flour though.

I suspect the flour they use for pastry is "harder" and/or has a lower moisture content than standard UK plain flour.

[Jobbo]

You don't have any rice? Crikey.

[CatherineJ]

I would blind bake.

I have terrible memories of quiche's cooked back in the late 90's by my then work canteen. She would pour the filling straight on top of the pastry and end result was awful.

[Sine]

You don't need beans or rice. I made pie this evening, baking weights were taken care of by greaseproof paper and a load of spanners. I may have had some wine previously.

[Kermit power]

Jobbo said:

You don't have any rice? Crikey.

My wife finished it off making tea for the kids!

Anyway, job done now, cooked with the topping straight into the pastry following one of the French recipes. Bloody gorgeous it was too! No sogginess, just a nice, softish pastry with a bit of crunch on the outside.

[Mobile Chicane]

marshalla said:

The French are far more precise in their grading of flour though.

I suspect the flour they use for pastry is "harder" and/or has a lower moisture content than standard UK plain flour.

^^^ This, I think.

French savoury pastry is lighter and 'flakier' than that in the UK.

However I suspect this may have as much to do with technique as ingredients.

Damn those frogs!

[escargot]

Mobile Chicane said:

marshalla said:

The French are far more precise in their grading of flour though.

I suspect the flour they use for pastry is "harder" and/or has a lower moisture content than standard UK plain flour.

^^^ This, I think.

French savoury pastry is lighter and 'flakier' than that in the UK.

However I suspect this may have as much to do with technique as ingredients.

Damn those frogs!

You're right, a lot of it is technique. The pastry my mrs makes is shockingly good.