Blind baking a pie crust means partially or fully baking a pie crust before adding the filling. Blind baking is necessary for some pie recipes, such as custard pies or pies with unbaked fillings, to prevent the crust from becoming soggy or undercooked. Blind baking also helps to prevent the pockets of steam in the dough from puffing up, which makes it easier to add the pie filling. Blind baking can be done in two ways:

• Fully blind baking: This involves fully baking the crust before adding a no-bake filling, such as a chocolate cream pie or a lemon meringue pie.
• Partially blind baking: This involves partially baking the crust before returning it to the oven with a filling, such as a fruit pie.

To blind bake a pie crust, follow these general steps:

1. Prepare the pie crust in the pan and chill it.
2. Line the crust with parchment paper or aluminum foil and fill it with pie weights, dried beans, or rice to prevent the crust from puffing up.
3. Bake the crust in a preheated oven for a specified amount of time, depending on the recipe.
4. Remove the weights and parchment paper or aluminum foil and return the crust to the oven to finish baking, if necessary.

Different recipes may have different instructions for blind baking a pie crust, so its important to follow the recipe carefully.