Tuile cookies for The Daring Bakers

Here we are for the start of 2009's Daring Baker Challenge. The first challenge of the year, Tuile cookies. I had a little trouble with these little babies, but I was at fault. The recipe clearly states to let the butter soften, I did not do this, so my dough was lumpy and runny. Because of this, I couldn't use a stencil, but it worked out just spooning the dough on my baking stone. Once they baked up in about 8 minutes, they wanted to stick. I let them cool a minute or two and then with a cake decorating spatula, using a sawing motion, I got them off in one piece. Thank Goodness!!



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.



We were also to pair this with a light dipper. I used my sweet potato butter for my dipper. The cookies were really sweet and I actually liked them by themselves. I could see these used as a little bowl filled with a fruit salad, but after finally getting them off the baking stone, all my creativity was gone.


Following is a recipe taken from a book called “The Chocolate Book”, written by female Dutch Master chef Angélique Schmeinck.



Recipe:

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

1 table spoon cocoa powder/or food coloring of choice

Butter/spray to grease baking sheet



Oven: 180C / 350F

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 over mix.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).

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or grease with either butter/spray and chill in the fridge for at least 15 minutes. This will help spread the batter more easily if using a stencil/cardboard template such as the butterfly. Press the stencil on the baking sheet and use an off sided spatula to spread batter. Leave some room in between your shapes. Mix a small part of the batter with the cocoa and a few drops of warm water until evenly colored. Use this colored batter in a paper piping bag and proceed to pipe decorations on the wings and body of the butterfly.Bake butterflies 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 maybe put them in the oven to warm them up again. (Haven’t tried that). Or: place a baking sheet toward the front of the warm oven, leaving the door half open. The warmth will keep the cookies malleable.

If you don’t want to do stencil shapes, you might want to transfer the batter into a piping bag fitted with a small plain tip. Pipe the desired shapes and bake. Shape immediately after baking using for instance a rolling pin, a broom handle, cups, cones….



Sweet potato butter

4 cups peeled sweet potatoes, cut into slices
2 cups apples, peeled, cored and chopped
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
1 tsp cinnamon, or to taste
1/4 tsp nutmeg, optional
1/2 cup water

Combine all ingredients in crock pot and stir. Cook on high heat until sweet potatoes are fully cooked. Mash or beat with an electric hand mixer until well blended. Pour into jars and can as normal. This mixture will be a little thicker than apple butter.