What is the Difference Between Tart Pan and Pie Pan

The main difference between tart pan and pie pan is that a tart pan has fluted sides and a detachable bottom, whereas a pie pan has thin sides that slant outwards.

Tart pans and pie pans are two types of baking pans that help you bake various baked goods. They are very similar, and bakers often use them interchangeably. But there are several differences between these two types of tart pans and pie pans.

Key Areas Covered

1. What is a Tart Pan
     – Definition, Shape, Features 
2. What is a Pie Pan
     – Definition, Shape, Features 
3. Difference Between Tart Pan and Pie Pan
     – Comparison of Key Differences

Key Terms

Tart Pan, Pie Pan

Difference Between Tart Pan and Pie Pan - Comparison Summary

What is a Tart Pan

A tart pan is a shallow pan that is round or oblong in shape. It’s commonly used to make quiches, tarts, and pies. Most tart pans feature fluted sides, which give tarts and quiches their distinctive shape. But some tart pans also have flat edges. Moreover, most tart pans come with two parts: a removable/detachable bottom and a ring edge. We call these two-piece tart pans. With this type of detachable bottom, you can remove the tart easily and cleanly without damaging its shape. However, there are one-piece tart pans in the market too. These are useful in baking tarts with liquid fillings.

 Compare Tart Pan and Pie Pan - What's the difference?

Tart pans are typically equally wide at the bottom and the top. Traditional tart pies are metal, especially materials like aluminum, tin, and steel. When baking, the heat from the bottom of the pan has less time to travel to the top and ensures the even distribution of heat. Since metal is a good conductor, the tart’s crust bakes uniformly.

What is a Pie Pan

A pie pan is a round baking dish having thin slanted sides. Pie plans typically have outward sloping sides, so these pans are somewhat wider at the top than at the base. In pie pans, you can bake both double-crust pies and single-crust pies. More importantly, you can use pie pans for many other recipes in addition to pies. Therefore, they are extremely useful kitchen tools.

Pie pans are available in a variety of materials, including stoneware, ceramic, glass, aluminum, and tinned steel. Metal pans are generally the least expensive out of these, and they are commonly available in grocery stores. Tin pans and aluminum pans are two common metal pie pans. Glass pie plates are another popular option since they easily allow you to check how the bottom crust looks. Ceramic pie plates, on the other hand, are available in a variety of colors and designs. Some even have strong coatings that allow use under extremely high temperatures.  

Tart Pan vs Pie Pan

When measuring the size of pie pans, we usually measure the inside diameter of the top rim. Most pie dishes are generally 20-25 cm in diameter and are 2.5-6.3 cm in depth. Glass and ceramic pie pans often have wide lips, which helps in joining double-crust pies or forming fluted crusts.

Difference Between Tart Pan and Pie Pan

Definition

A tart pan is a shallow pan that is round or oblong in shape, while a pie pan is a round baking dish having thin slanted sides.

Sides

While tart pans often have fluted sides, pie pans have thin sides that slant outwards.

Depth

Tart pans are typically equally wide at the bottom and the top, but the top of pie pans is wider than the bottom.

Bottom

Most tart pans have detachable bottoms, whereas pie pans do not have detachable bottoms.

Conclusion

Although tart pans and pie pans are very similar, there are several differences between the two. The main difference between tart pan and pie pan is that a tart pan has fluted sides and a detachable bottom, whereas a pie pan has thin sides that slant outwards.

Reference:

1. “What is a Pie Plate?” Delighted Cooking.
2. “What Is A Tart Pan: A Baker’s Guide.” Bella Cup Cake Courture. 

Image Courtesy:

1. “Brown Butter Pear Tart 10of11” By Food Thinkers (CC BY-NC-SA 2.0) via Flickr
2. “Person Holding Round Pie Dough on Grey Tray” (CC0) via Pexels

About the Author: Hasa

Hasanthi is a seasoned content writer and editor with over 8 years of experience. Armed with a BA degree in English and a knack for digital marketing, she explores her passions for literature, history, culture, and food through her engaging and informative writing.

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