Thursday, January 29, 2009

Daring Bakers Challenge - Tuiles



This month’s challenge was not so much about the baking, but about the technique. We were to bake tuile cookies, shape them into pretty shapes, and pair them with something light. I made Lemon Tuilles from Millennium.

I fashioned a stencil from cardboard by tracing a flower cookie cutter and removing the shapes with an exacto knife.



I thought I shouldn’t use an overly elaborate design for fear of very burnt edges on the cookies.




My design was a little too plain. When the cookies spread and baked, it was hard to tell they were flower shaped. They also wanted to break when I tried to curl them.



I baked three cookies at the time since the cookies have to be shaped immediately when they come out of the oven. Here’s the first batch. Good cookies, bad shape.



I tried another batch and got the same results. So I gave up and decided to be satisfied with just baking my mom some flat but yummy lemon cookies – her favorite.




Mom and I enjoyed my cookies with her fabulous fruit salad.




So I didn’t impress you, but at least you now know about a great lemon cookie recipe the next time you need one. Hopefully my next post will feature better food. Oh, and do look at some other Daring Bakers posts for successful challenges!

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 Angelique Schmeink and Nougatine and Chocolate Tuiles from Michel Roux.

23 comments:

LizNoVeggieGirl said...

Stunning, Diann!!

Adriana said...

Nuh huh, I'm pleanty impressed with that fruit salad!

Your cookies remind me of StarB’s Madelines but less evil because they aren’t made with butter.

Anonymous said...

I'm sorry that your tuiles didn't turn out as you planned. I love the idea of incorporating lemon.

My mouth is watering over the fruit salad/tuile combination!

Meg Wolff said...

Why did you need them rounded? Is that a tuile thing? They look great with that salad!

Vegan_Noodle said...

I count a DB challenge as a success as long as it tastes good.. and I'm sure those cookies did! I had trouble with breaking cookies as well, I guess that just goes along with tuile making. Love the fruit salad!

Amy said...

Sorry your tuilles didn't come out quite how you wanted. I think they're beautiful anyway!

Andrea said...

Diann, the cookies may not look the way you wanted (of course, taste is more important anyway) but you did a GREAT job with that exacto knife! I'm impressed.

Catherine Weber said...

My tuiles were a little fragile, too -- baked too long and the edges were too dark, baked not long enough, they tore when I tried to shape them!! Gah.

Perhaps that's the whole "challenge" part of Daring Bakers??? ;-)

Chris said...

You should have just told her that they were supposed to look that way! :) And cookies with character (ironically, not cookie-cutter ones) are always a plus in my book.

Anonymous said...

Very cute flowers! And now I'm curious how this recipe would compare to the one I used- Must go hunt this book down.

Anonymous said...

I always say what matters is the way it tastes - so who cares if they are "abstract" flowers?!? If they were tasty, that's what matters most!

allularpunk said...

they still look delicious to me!

MeloMeals said...

I think they look great... and I just read another blogger who used the same recipe I think who couldn't shape hers either, so they were probably a recipe issue and not a bakers issue!

Crystal said...

Looks great - a perfect side to a fruit salad. I like it.

River (Wing-It Vegan) said...

They ARE impressive Diann! Mine wouldn't have bent at all and they would have ended up snapping and breaking into many pieces.

Oh, and your fruit salad is so colorful and happy!

JENNA said...

Since I made the same recipe I'm glad mine aren't the only ones who wouldn't shape. The batter is just to thick I believe.

At least they were tasty!

Anonymous said...

i like the way the cookies look! they seem thin and crunchy and perfect for scooping!

Jenn said...

They look great! Sounds like a real challenge.

Anonymous said...

I bet they tasted outstanding. And I love the bowl-like shape you achieved in the fruit salad pic!

Sheree' said...

Good job!!!

Anonymous said...

gorgeous! you did impress me!

Anonymous said...

Those are cool... I imagine the crispy lemony cookies are a good foil to the beautiful fruit salad. Mmmmm...

Diana said...

I would have to agree that the fruit salad looks fabulous. Sorry the tuilles didn't turn out as you hoped, but they still look yummy!