Baking Blind - Rachel Allen

[herdthemall]

aaah busy days for the maams with their pinnies on.....

[parcel]

aaah busy days for the maams with their pinnies on.....

speak for yourself, I made mine after work   

[marriedguy]

I use greaseproof or parchment, whichever is at hand. I fill with kidney beans as they are pretty easy to handle. I usually prick the pastry base with a fork a few times to let any steam out. Straight out of the oven I brush with a light coating of egg whites to seal the pastry to prevent it getting soggy with wet fillings.

[ex-pat]

Thanks m/guy I will try the egg next time.

[balls...]

I have ceramic balls that you re-use. No better then using rice or beans really (as you can and should re-use them as well) but they are slightly larger so less fiddly pouring off the greasproof afterwards.

As to cling film? No way would I ever use something like that in an oven! Melting plastic is not the way to live a healthy, long life...

I wouldn't even use the microwave cling film, which is thicker and made to withstand higher temperatures.

[ex-pat]

There is microwave cling film?  Perhaps that is what she used...

[John Bxls]

Dont use cling film.  Use microwave film.  It is almost the same but is heat resistant.

[Ex-pat]

There's microwave film?  I am learning a lot.  I have never seen that, do you know what brand it is?  Thx