Size Does Not Matter

A customer called and asked, “Do you have alphabet cookie cutters?”

“Yes, we have them in two sizes: one-inch and three-inch.”

“How big is that?”

Another customer called and asked, “How big is a 1 1/2 quart baking dish?”

“Huh? What do you mean?”

“How many inches wide is it?”

“1 1/2 quarts can be tall and narrow like a souffle dish or wide and broad like a gratin dish.”

“I just need to know if the pan I have is the same as what the recipe calls for.”

“I suggest that you pour water into the pan and measure the water.”

Several other customers wanted a 10-inch removable bottom tart pan as required by the cover recipe of this month’s Gourmet magazine. The test kitchen at Gourmet must not have a ruler, since the French tart pans come in 8-inch, 9-inch, 11-inch, and 12.5-inch, but not 10-inch. This differential flummoxed the would-be bakers.

“The recipe calls for 10-inch tart pan, so there must be a 10-inch tart pan!”

“Do you believe everything you read?”

Cooking and baking do not have to be so precise. You can bake the same cake in an 8-inch or a 9-inch or a 10-inch cake pan. The baking time will vary, but the cake will still be delicious. One cake may be a little taller and another a little wider, but the recipe will still work.

Here is a fresh fruit tart recipe that can be make in any size tart pan (and tastes better than that Gourmet recipe, which doesn’t have a custard filling!). If you use a smaller tart pan, you will have leftover dough and filling.

Fresh Fruit Tart

for the dough:

• 1 1/4 cups flour
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup butter
• 1 egg

Mix together the flour, sugar, and salt. Using a pastry blender, cut the butter into the flour until the size of pellets. Stir in the egg. If necessary, add a tablespoon of water to make the dough come together. Refrigerate for 30 minutes. Roll out the dough and fit into a tart pan of your choice. Cover with aluminum foil and fill with pie weights. Bake at 375 until dry, about 15-20 minutes. Let cool.

for the filling:

• 2 cups half-and-half
• 1 vanilla bean or 1 tablespoon vanilla bean paste
• 6 egg yolks
• 2/3 cup sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 3 tablespoons cornstarch

In a medium saucepan, heat the cream and vanilla. Whisk together the egg yolks, sugar, and salt until pale and ribbony. Fold in the cornstarch. Pour a little of the hot cream into the eggs and whisk. Pour the egg mixture into the hot cream and cook on medium heat until it comes to a boil and is thickened. Let cool. Pour the custard into the tart shell. If there is too much filling for the tart shell, eat the leftovers!

for the topping:

• fresh strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, blueberries or any other fruit

Attractively arrange the fruit on top of the custard.