# Tartlets crust



## elhirba (Nov 9, 2007)

Hi !
I live in Orange County CA. I'd like to buy tartlet crusts, bite size, does someone has a good address ? Thanks.


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## boar_d_laze (Feb 13, 2008)

I don't know of a specific place offhand, but any bakery should be happy to make a _pate brisee_ or sweet _pate brisee_ in whatever quantity of tartelettes you like. Heck, it's just pie crust. The only hard part is owning enough little tins: A thing at which commercial bakeries excel. Start with your favorite bakeries. It's also worth cruising Little Saigon, there are a pantload of excellent French bakeries down there. Unfortunately, OC isn't my beat and I can't be more specific.

If you're dead set on buying them pre-made, the best advice I can give you is to ignore the inevitable advice to do it yourself with the promise that it's easy. It is easy, but not as easy as someone else doing it. The second best advice is order a lot of extra -- they're fragile outside of the tin.

FWIW, the alternatives to _pate brisee_ are _pate sablee_ (short bread) and _pate feuilletee_ (puff pastry). A good French bakery can handle any of these.

If all else fails, buy pre-made puff pastry from the market, and some tins. They run around $10/3 doz. Spray some baker's non-stick in the shells; then lay out the puff pastry, and use the tins to cut the pastry -- the walls slant out, so the pastry will go partway up the sides when you lay it in. Use your thumbs to work the pastry up to the top of the mold, pressing the dough into the little crevices; bake the shells off until just brown, let them cool for five minutes (they're small, it won't take long), turn them out; and start the whole process over again. Using pre-made pastry, you can easily make 150 shells in 2 hours. They freeze well, so you can do it a week or so in advance if you like.

Good luck,
BDL


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## kyheirloomer (Feb 1, 2007)

BDL, don't you prick the bottom of the shells, before baking, so that the pastry doesn't rise up into itself?


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## boar_d_laze (Feb 13, 2008)

Yes. Forgot to say, "dock the darn pastry with a fork yet." Good pick up KY. And thanks. It's nice that one's back is had. Sometimes I egg wash them, too -- depending on their eventual use. 

I'm hoping (s)he finds someone in OC who'll do them. . 

BDL


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## elhirba (Nov 9, 2007)

Thank you Boar d laze ! Are you French ? because I am. Anyway, thank you for your recipe ! I was just thinking that it's so time/energy consuming to make it myself so I was looking for a place to buy them and just taking care of the filling. But of course, it taste better when you make it yourself. 
Searchng on the Net I found this company who sell this shells, but I don't know how they taste. It's made by Pidy, and it cost $0.30/shell. Did anybody try them ? I found them on the website of chefwarehouse.


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## boar_d_laze (Feb 13, 2008)

French, me? _J'suis desole, vraiment; mais non_. My cooking orientation used to be very French -- whatever that means. (I add the caveat because the greatest strength of French cuisine is its inclusiveness.) I even had a little catering business called "Predominantly French." I have a fair bit of "French" cooking technique; speak French cooking terms fairly fluently; but otherwise not at all.

No matter how you decide to do your tartelettes, I hope you get down to Little Saigon and explore some the wonderful bakeries there.

BDL


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## elhirba (Nov 9, 2007)

So you know slang too (j'suis) ! Anyway, I will go like to said to this places in Little Saigon and compare with the Pidy product. You're right there are many of French influence pastry shop there, but the most authentic one is called 
Boulangerie Pierre and Patisserie 14352 Brookhurst St., Garden Grove, CA, 92843

This place looks like exactly what I used to see during my childhood in France, the owner is French. Next time you are in Little Saigon, don't miss it.


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