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Tarts and Tartlets
Appears in
Published 2008
A tart is not just a pie without a top crust. Although they may resemble pies, tarts are actually more closely related to other European-style pastries. They are light, usually less than 1 inch (2.5 cm) thick, and often very colorful. Their appearance usually depends on a pattern of carefully arranged fruit. Tartlets are basically the same as tarts but prepared in small, individual-portion sizes.
Unlike pie pans, tart pans are shallow and straight-sided—that is, with sides that are perpendicular to the base. Often the sides are fluted. Because tarts are usually removed from the pans before serving, false-bottom pans are easiest to use. To remove a tart from a false-bottom pan, first remove the outside ring, then slide the tart from the flat base onto a cardboard circle or onto a serving dish. A flan ring, which is a simple metal hoop, is another form of tart pan. When a flan ring is placed on a baking sheet, it forms the side of the pan and the baking sheet serves as the bottom.