The Difference Between Pies and Tarts (2024)

FAQs

The Difference Between Pies and Tarts? ›

While pies look covered from all sides, tarts are open from the top and you can easily see the filling on top. Another difference lies in the base. While pies have a thin and smooth crust, tarts have a rather thick and crumbly crust which crumbles down when pieces are cut from the tart.

The main difference is that tarts only have a bottom crust, and the crust is much thicker than a pie crust.

In French cooking we make a difference between a tart pan (for quiches or fruit tarts with no filling) and a pie pan (for American style pies and cakes such as the NY cheesecake). You will find both sizes here: the tart pan is wider and shallow. The pie dish is smaller but deeper.

A tart is a baked dish consisting of a filling over a pastry base with an open top not covered with pastry. The pastry is usually shortcrust pastry; the filling may be sweet or savoury, though modern tarts are usually fruit-based, sometimes with custard.

Pumpkin pie is a dessert pie with a spiced, pumpkin-based custard filling. The pumpkin and pumpkin pie are both a symbol of harvest time, and pumpkin pie is generally eaten during the fall and early winter.

PIZZA IS A PIE CAMP

Whether we go by Oxford Languages, as Google immediately does, or Merriam Webster, “pie” is, as one of its very definitions, pizza. Whether pies are sweet or savoury, it's still a pie, so clearly ingredients don't matter (which, coincidentally, is one reason pop tarts = ravioli).

Cheesecake is Technically a Tart

The cheesecake base is composed of a type of pastry shell that can sit at the base of the dessert or surround it on three sides. The top of a cheesecake can be decorated with fresh fruit, whipped cream, pecans, cookies, fruit sauce, or chocolate syrup.

A tart pan is my favorite substitute for a pie pan, especially if it has a removable bottom. The tart pan bakes up a pie almost exactly the same as a metal pie pan, but the fluted sides make for a prettier crust.

Quiche (/ˈkiːʃ/ KEESH) is a French tart consisting of a pastry crust filled with savoury custard and pieces of cheese, meat, seafood or vegetables.

Quiche is a pie that originated in northeastern France in the Alsace-Lorraine region. The key to a great quiche is a flaky crust and a creamy custard filling that holds a cut edge.

What are the four types of tarts? ›

There are four main types of tarts: fruit tarts, custard tarts, chocolate tarts, and savory tarts.

Tarts have a long history, and their origins can be traced back to ancient Rome. The word “tart” is thought to derive from the Old French word tarte, which itself is derived from the Latin word torta, meaning “twisted bread”.

Slang. a prostitute or sexually promiscuous woman.

One of the major differences between the two is the consistency of the crust. While pie crusts are very flaky and light, tart crusts or pastry crusts, tend to be firm and crumbly and not at all flaky.

Pies that have a pastry lid - but not pastry sides and bottom - are known as 'pot pies' and many people believe they aren't actually real pies at all.

The biggest difference between a cobbler and a pie is the placement of the dough. Pies have, at a minimum, a bottom crust with the fruit placed on top, while a cobbler has the fruit on the bottom and a dolloped dough on top instead.

I started off making tarts in a pie pan. It is a workable substitution, but now that I have tart pans of my own, I have to admit that it's much better. Getting the tart part out is so much simpler, and it ends up with lovely scalloped edges.

Today, tarts are enjoyed around the world, and there are many different variations. Common fillings for sweet tarts include fruit, custard, and cream, while savory tarts are typically filled with meats, cheeses, or vegetables.

In the 19th century, tart was British slang for "pretty woman." Some believe it is a shortening of "sweetheart." But by the end of that century, tart described a prostitute, something many language scholars trace back to the tart that you get at the bakery. Definitions of tart. adjective.

Pie crusts and tart shells can be made from several types of dough or crumbs. Flaky dough, mealy dough and crumbs are best for pie crusts; sweet dough is usually used for tart shells. Fillings make pies and tarts distinctive and flavorful. Four types of fillings are common: cream, fruit, custard and chiffon.