Posts Tagged tuile

Tuiles – Daring Bakers Challenge

Tuiles - Daring Bakers Challenge

I haven’t blogged for quite some time and it feels great to be back in the blogosphere! There is a lot of catching up to do including reading the many delicious posts of my fellow bloggers I have missed so far.

My first post in the new year is going to be the Daring Bakers January challenge. This month’s challenge is brought to us by Karen of Bake My Day and Zorra of 1x umruehren bitte aka Kochtopf. They have chosen Tuiles from The Chocolate Book by Angélique Schmeink and Nougatine and Chocolate Tuiles from Michel Roux. I chose to make sweet tuiles out of the three suggested recipes.

Tuiles (read as tweel) are light crisp cookies that come in a variety of shapes, sizes and flavors that can be filled with anything from ice cream to mousse, pastry cream or fruit soups. In French, “tuile” means “tile” referring to the shape of the classic tuile, which is baked and then molded around a rolling pin while it is still warm. When cooled off, tuiles look like roof tiles from which they take their name.  You can shape them into any shape you want, using cups, bottles or any objects that you think could work as a mold. Here’s my experience making tuiles.

1. I shaped my tuiles into cones with my hands. Initially, I was planning to use cups as molds to shape the  tuiles, but  for some reason  my baked tuiles were not very pliable  – once  I took them out of the oven there were already somewhat crisp, so the only thing left to do was to shape them into cones as fast as I could, which I did. I suspect I baked the tuiles too long – they were a little brownish in the middle too.

2. The recipe yielded  5 large (5 inch) round tuiles. I think I could have gotten 6 if I hade made my tuiles thinner, although I was very happy with the thickness of the baked tuiles.

3. I didn’t use any stencil or cardboard to spread the batter on a baking sheet. I simply spread the batter into circles and I found it quite easy to do.

4. I stuffed my tuiles with pastry cream and fresh strawberries. It was delicious. I think chocolate pastry cream or mousse and bananas would make a great stuffing too.

So, overall I enjoyed this challenge a lot and have already filed the recipe into my keeper file. Thank you, Karen and Zorra, for a great recipe! To see how my fellow daring bakers made, shaped, stuffed their tuiles, visit the Daring Bakers blogroll.


TUILES

“The Chocolate Book” by Angélique Schmeinck

Yields 5 large (5 inch) tuiles
Preparation time batter 10 minutes
Waiting time 30 minutes
Baking time: 5-10 minutes per batch

65 grams / ¼ cup / 2.3 ounces softened butter (not melted but soft)
60 grams / ½ cup / 2.1 ounces sifted confectioner’s sugar
1 sachet vanilla sugar (7 grams or substitute with a dash of vanilla extract)
2 large egg whites (slightly whisked with a fork)
65 grams / 1/2 cup / 2.3 ounces sifted all purpose flour
Butter/spray to grease baking sheet

1. Using a hand whisk or a stand mixer fitted with the paddle (low speed) and cream butter, sugar and vanilla to a paste. Keep stirring while you gradually add the egg whites. Continue to add the flour in small batches and stir to achieve a homogeneous and smooth batter/paste. Be careful to not overmix.

2. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and chill in the fridge for at least 30 minutes to firm up. (This batter will keep in the fridge for up to a week, take it out 30 minutes before you plan to use it).


3. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or grease with either butter/spray and chill in the fridge for at least 15 minutes. Press the stencil or a carboard on the bakingsheet and use an off sided spatula to spread batter. Leave some room in between your shapes. If you don’t have a stencil or a cardboard, simply spread about 1 tablespoon of the batter into a circle. Bake in batches, 2 or 3 tuiles at a time.

4. Bake tuiles in a preheated oven (180C/350F) for about 5-10 minutes or until the edges turn golden brown. Immediately release from baking sheet and proceed to shape/bend the cookies in the desired shape. These cookies have to be shaped when still warm, you might want to bake a small amount at a time. Or: place a baking sheet toward the front of the warm oven, leaving the door half open. The warmth will keep the cookies malleable.

    Pastry Cream (Crème Patisserie)
    adapted from marthastewart.com

    Makes about 1  1/4 cups – enough for 5-6 tuiles

    1 cup milk (whole or reduced fat)
    1/4 cup sugar

    1 teaspoons vanilla extract

    Pinch of salt

    2 large eggs (yolks only)

    1/4 cup cornstarch

    1 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

1) In a meidum saucepan, combine milk, half of the sugar, vanilla extract and salt. Cook over medium heat until mixture comes to a simmer.

2) In a medium bowl, whisk together egg yolks, cornstarch, and remaining sugar. Whisking constantly, slowly pour the hot-milk mixture into the egg-yolk mixture, until it has been incorporated. Pour mixture back into saucepan, and cook over medium-high heat, whisking constantly, until it thickens, about 2-4 minutes.

3) Transfer to the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Add the butter, and beat on medium speed until the butter melts and the mixture cools, about 5 minutes.

4) Cover with plastic wrap, pressing it directly onto the surface of the pastry cream to prevent a skin from forming. Refrigerate until chilled, at least 2 hours or up to 2 days. Just before using, beat on low speed until smooth (you can also whisk by hand).