National Occupational Competency Testing Institute (NOCTI) Culinary Practice Exam

To ensure even baking for a pie crust, docking is the most effective method. Docking involves making small holes in the surface of the pie crust before baking. This technique allows steam to escape during the baking process, which helps prevent the crust from puffing up or forming air bubbles. By creating these holes, the heat can circulate more evenly throughout the crust, leading to a uniformly baked product.

Preheating, while essential for many baking tasks to ensure consistent oven temperature, does not specifically address the issue of steam buildup in the crust. Chilling the crust before baking is beneficial for achieving a tender and flaky texture, as it helps to solidify the fats in the dough, but it does not directly influence even baking. Scoring is a technique primarily used for breads to control how the dough expands during baking, which is not applicable to pie crusts. Thus, docking is the method that specifically ensures even baking in pie crust preparation.