Blind Baking to Prevent Soggy Bottoms

Blind baking is the essential technique for preventing soggy bottom pastry in pies with wet fillings. Paul Hollywood's dreaded soggy bottom occurs when moisture from filling seeps into unbaked pastry during cooking, creating a pale, doughy, unpleasant base. To blind bake, line the raw pastry shell with parchment paper and fill with pie weights, dried beans, or rice to prevent puffing and slumping. Bake at 400°F for 15 minutes until edges are set, then remove weights and parchment. Prick the bottom lightly with a fork to prevent steam bubbles, then bake an additional 5-8 minutes until the base is dry, set, and just beginning to color. For extra insurance, brush the pre-baked shell with beaten egg white and return to oven for 1 minute to create a moisture barrier. Combine blind baking with a preheated baking sheet on the lower rack to provide direct bottom heat, ensuring the base crisps properly even with wet filling above. Always cool filling completely before adding to blind-baked shell to prevent steam from undoing your careful work.