This Gobel pan is used by a zillion charcutiers and traiteurs all over France. It works somewhat differently from the Matfer mold: this one's bottom snaps off vertically, rather than sliding off horizontally as the Matfer’s does. You must snap off the bottom before you pull the pins at the diagonal corners to take the thing apart, which means holding on to things with kitchen towels so you don’t burn your hands. (Your crust will be crispier if you get it out of the mold as soon as you can after it comes out of the oven. Don’t end up in the ER, though.) If you try to pull the pins and pry the mold apart before you get the bottom off, you’ll destroy the interlocking pin channels. The material it’s made from is rolled mild steel with a very thin coating of tin. The wall’s top and bottom are rolled around a thick copper wire. This pan has no non-stick coating, as the Matfer does. You need to be aware of whether your pâte (dough) is fatty or not, and if it’s not, you’ll need to butter/lard the mold liberally before lining it with your dough sheet; you should probably always grease it somewhat, except for perhaps a British hot water and lard dough. The tin layer is very thin, so you shouldn’t try to cut anything in the mold, for instance; the metal will rust at the point of the scratch. I’d guess that it’s about as fragile as the nonstick coating on other bakeware. In addition, and to translate from a French cooking matériel shop, “This mold detests humidity.” By that they meant that it must be wiped out immediately after use, or if absolutely necessary to wash it, just use a damp paper towel, don’t soak the mold, and dry it thoroughly IMMEDIATELY. If it’s been washed, a wipe of vegetable oil about one molecule thick is a good idea, but if you’ve used most of the usual pâté doughs, which have a lot of fat in them, it should only be a matter of freeing a few crumbs, and wiping out the mold with a paper towel for its next use. No freezer, no dishwasher, and only put it in the refrigerator if it’s going into the oven for cooking immediately afterwards. Then it will last until your grandchildren are too old to keep on using it. I’d suggest storing it assembled, so the corners don’t accidentally get deformed in the pantry. And finally, because ill-informed complaints have been written for the similar Matfer product (Gobel being much less well-known in the US), this mold is NOT for making a pâté or terrine that’s not wrapped in a crust. All the fat will leak all over the place from the corners and the bottom seams, and the outside of your product will burn to a crisp before the inside is cooked. Use a heavy ceramic or enameled cast iron mold for that sort of terrine. Conversely, if you try to make a pâté en croûte in one of them, the crust will never be right: you will end up a mess of undercooked, slimy dough. This pan is also just right for making certain British savory pies, though — look in Calum Franklin’s “The Pie Shop” book for a lot of examples.

I used it for a pâté en croûte. It worked very well. The sides and bottom are made to come apart so you can remove the food without deforming it. It’s very easy to figure out. And it’s surprisingly a good size. Like, I was worried the end product would appear too small but it’s actually a perfect size for my need. Next I’ll experiment with some dessert molding with it.