So, as the cake spot has been snagged at an upcoming birthday (grrrr), I’m going to make that yummy-looking peanut butter tart from the blog, but I must first buy a tart pan.

So I have ze questions, if anyone has ze answers:

1.  Should I go ahead and get a 2” deep one, so I could then use for cakes for that wonderful rippled edge.
2.  Do I correctly assume it’s better to get removable bottom?
3.  Do I correctly assume it’s better to avoid non-stick?
4.  I’m seeing Fat Daddio on Amazon—how’s that for brand?  They’re adonized aluminum:  http://www.amazon.com/Fat-Daddios-Fluted-Removable-Bottom/dp/B001VEI088/ref=sr_1_9?ie=UTF8&qid=1296334044&sr=8-9
5.  They have 8” and 10”.  Could I bake your usual 9” cake in a 10” pan using 1.23x everything, or is 10” considered too big a diameter?

Any other thoughts would be much appreciated!!!

Thanks!

—ak

I’m not Julie, but I will give you my two cents.

First cent: Most recipes that call for tart pans do not use a deep one. Sometimes one may need a 2” high tart pan if making a savory tart (e.g. quiche) but I believe that the shallow is more commonly called for. I’m not sure if the same principle of not baking in higher pans in the case of cakes applies to tarts as well. Perhaps, someone with more experience can answer that.

Second cent:  I once bought a Fat Daddio tart pan and it was not good. It had a very low-quality feel to it (easy to bend, easily scratched, etc.). I ended up using it probably once, and then went out and bought another one of better quality.

Hi, Jose!

Thanks so much re the info on depth, and ESPECIALLY re the info on the Fat Daddio!  That brand always comes up on Amazon, so I’m always curious about, and I really appreciate hearing about your experience with it!

Hi Anne, been out of town for a few days, but here’s my two cents.  If you want one pan that can be used for Gateau Breton, tarts and the occasional fluted edge cake layer, it’s the 9 1/2” x 1 3/8” medium deep tart pan from Gobel.  I do like the non-stick, because when you use it for cakes you can’t really slide a spatula around the sides to loosen them.  And for tarts the darker color of the non-stick aids with browning/crisping the crust.  This is the same pan that Rose recommends in RHC for the Gateau Breton. 

Most tarts call for a 1” deep, so this is a little deeper but not a lot.  So far it has worked well for me with tarts, I haven’t yet bought the slightly shorter pan. 

For cakes, it bakes up a cake layer of 1” to 1 3/8” tall, so not as high as a 2” pan, but I’m OK with that because I generally find that I don’t really enjoy eating tall cake slices (just too big), even though tall cakes look nice.

Thank you so much, Julie, for the pan rec and the non-stick info! 

I guess you use the recipes for 1-1/2” pan cakes then when you bake in these.

I’d say your “short” ripple cakes pack some serious “look”—OMG—sort of how Hunts packs eight great tomatoes in a tiny little can, if you know what I mean !!

Thanks again!!

-=-ak

Here are a couple of links to the pan, there may be other sources as well.

http://www.jbprince.com/professional-culinary-molds/non-stick-medium-high-tart-mold-95-inch.asp

http://www.bakedeco.com/detail.asp?id=9314&catid=33 (this one the picture doesn’t look quite right, but I think it’s still the same one)

Thanks so much for the links!!!!!!!!

Anne in NC - 30 January 2011 10:19 PM

I guess you use the recipes for 1-1/2” pan cakes then when you bake in these.

Yes, it has a 6 cup capacity (I poured water into it), but still works with a 9 x 1.5” recipe (6.5 cup) as I like the layer to be as high as possible within the limits of the pan.  I normally fill it about 2/3 full.

Thanks again!

However,

Yikes!  I’ve got some measurements wrong somehow!

I’ve got that Area 9x1.5 area = 4.5 x 4.5 x 3.14 x 1.5 = 95 cubic inches
Area/2 = Ounces = 47
Ounces/8 = Cups = 5.96

I used the this with the Area (cubic inches) to cups to confirm: http://www.csgnetwork.com/volconv.html

Do I have a calculation/concept wrong or is it more of a manufacturing thing—i.e, fill your own pan with water for true accuracy?

I feel like I owe you tutoring fees with all the info and links you’ve provided!!!!!

Anne, if you convert from 95.4 cubic inches to cups, either from the link you provided or by multiplying cubic inches by 0.069264, it comes close to 6.5 cups. 

Not sure I’m following the line above that says Area/2 = ounces.  And the line above that labels the formula area, but it’s the formula for volume, as it includes the height measurement. 

I usually calculate volume of a cylinder, pi * r2 * h, which is 95.4 cubic inches.  Then convert to cups with the above factor. 

In any event, pouring water in is foolproof and more accurate, plus the tart pan has sloped sides and fluted edges.  Also, there is some leeway, as butter cake batters can fill the pan from half to two-thirds full.

All that said, I always thought a 9x1.5 pan used a 6 cup recipe, so maybe I’ve overlooked something?  Anyone?

Thank you again!  Yes, volume, not area.  Sorry about that!  Thanks for the .07 factor, also.  Obviously, my /2 estimate has a little too much leeway, so I’ll use the .07 from now on!!!  I plugged volume back into the link I posted and also got 6.5 also, so I must have been flaking-out or doing some weird backwards something.  Many, many thanks!!!