# Making Tuiles



## 84rhonda (Jun 19, 2001)

Hello everyone. I've been recently interested in Advanced dessert techniques and "showplating". One of the skills requires making TUILES and "bending" them into creative shapes etc..I'm no professional chef by any means, but i love to dabble in the kitchen. But I'm really struggling with making these tuiles. Any hints or helps would be appreciated. For example, i followed the tuile recipe from Le Cordon Bleu cookbook, it says to cook the tuiles into lightly yellow, then take them out and bend them. Problem is my tuiles crack and set way too fast. What am i doing wrong? 

After a few trial and errors, I tried bending the shapes while they were still in the oven, but it gets quite hot in there. This seemed to work, but evey book I've read said you should be able to bend the TUILES outside the oven.


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## suzanne (May 26, 2001)

You've got to work very, very fast, and not be afraid of burning your fingertips. It might help if you try to mold the tuiles *around something*, like a can, or or cup, or a pair of chopsticks, and not just try to shape them all by hand, if that's what you're trying. Finally, sometimes you can put the tuiles back in the oven for a few seconds to soften if they get too hard, too quickly. But to be able to do that, you have to not overcook them in the first place (which was my problem when I first started making them).


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## marmalady (Apr 19, 2001)

I just want to know how to pronounce it - then I'll try making them!


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## momoreg (Mar 4, 2000)

Tuiles are pronounced like "wheels" with a T at the beginning.

You should have a few seconds to bend them once they come out of the oven, but don't remove them from the sheetpan until you're absolutely ready to shape them. If they crack even while very hot, then you have a problem with your mix. First, try making it with all room-temp. ingredients. If that doesn't work, just add a tiny touch more egg whites to your batter. This will make it more flexible.


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## foodnfoto (Jan 1, 2001)

Pronounced--tweel!
One tool I've found is helpful in shaping these cookies is a pair of toddler's chopsticks. They are used to help little ones learn how to eat with chopsticks. I bought them in an asian supermarket. 
Basically, they are a pair of short plastic chopsticks that are connected by a little M-shaped spring at the top. They work just like your fingers only don't burn when touching the hot cookie. I can get some very elaborate shapes with them-even made a little tea cup and saucer set from 2 cookies.


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## w.debord (Mar 6, 2001)

I'm with Momoreg here....your recipe must be off a bit. You should have a moment to shape. This is just like any other baked good, recipes vary and so do their easy, taste and handling. Just try another recipe. Payard's book has some nice ones.


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## 84rhonda (Jun 19, 2001)

:bounce: Thanks for the input and suggestions. I can't wait to try making these TWEELS again this weekend. Thanks again. :chef:


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## austinfarrugia (Jan 4, 2002)

HI 84RHONDA

Tuiles are also called Cats tongues (Langues de chat)

My recipe

icing sugar 125g(5oz)
butter 100g(4oz)
Vanilla ess.3 drops
Egg whites 3 - 4 
Soft flour 100g(4oz)
1.Lightly cream sugar& butter add 3 drops vanilla

2.Add the egg whites one by one ,continually mixing and being careful not to allow the mixture to curdle.

3.Gently fold in the sifted flour and mix lightly
Pipe on to a lightly greased baking sheet using 3mm(1/8 inch)plain tube,2 1/2cm.(1 inch apart)

5.Bake 230 -250 C, for a few minutes

7.When cooked ,remove 0n to cooling rack using a palette kinfe

6. the outside edges sh be light brown and the centre yellow
Hope this will be better

 :bounce: :bounce: :bounce:


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## momoreg (Mar 4, 2000)

Langue de chat is not meant to be molded into shapes. It si simply piped into a tongue shape, and served flat. But it is a similar texture.


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## panini (Jul 28, 2001)

Langue de Chat are commonly known here as ladyfingers


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## momoreg (Mar 4, 2000)

Lady fingers are fluffy though, and langue de chat is flatter. But they are the same shape.


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## panini (Jul 28, 2001)

Momo,
I don't know, Soph's family here and in Paris has always refered to ladyfingers as Langue de Chat. Come to think of it all the French pastry chef's I apprenticed under did also. We always use them to garnish our Marquis. We brought them up as meringue, folded in flour and swirled yolks. and piped.
Hold on, my mother-in-law Michelline has just informed me that Langue de chat refers to the dry bisquits and wet ladyfingers. Anything shaped like a tongue.
i don't know


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## monpetitchoux (Apr 24, 2001)

My favorite way to shape a tuile is by using a template. I draw them on paper and then copy the design onto the the plastic snap lids of plastic tubs the restaurant buys for storing stock. Then comes the very dangerous and tedious part of cutting them out. Genearlly I am not a fan of bending tuiles. Rather, I like to keep them flat so that I can stab them into my desserts. They really stand out and draw your attention to the plate. Lately, I've been studying papercut techniques so that I can apply them to pastries. It's helped mostly in my template design.


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## austinfarrugia (Jan 4, 2002)

Monpetitchoux you are quite wright all you have to do is use a template ,using a palate knife you 
distribute a thin film, take template off, bake...

diLangues de Chat-Cat Tongues

A crunchy, buttery cookie with an unusual name is quite popular, especially with ice cream or sorbets.

Ingredients

3 1/2 T./60g butter, softened 
1/3 cup/75ml confectioner's sugar 
1 large egg 
1 egg yolk 
1/4 t./1ml vanilla 
2/3/ cup/150ml flour

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 375*F/190*C and place baking racks towards the top third of the oven. Lightly spread softened butter on baking sheets. Using the rest of the butter, place in a bowl and add the sugar and beat until well incorporated. Add the egg, egg yolk and vanilla and beat well. Stir well while adding the flour until smooth. Do not beat once it's smooth and well incorporated. Place the batter into a pastry bag that has a 1/4 inch plain tip. Squeeze out strips of cookie batter in 2 1/2 inch long strips. Keep them seperated slightly so they don't stick to each other while baking. Bake for 5-8 minutes, until golden brown on edges and lightly browned on top. cool on pans, remove with a spatula when cooled. You can also use buttered parchment paper and just peel the paper off when cooled if you like. Dust with confectioner's sugar or dip halfway in chocolate if desired.

SITE

3.French Cookie Recipes-Langues de Chat-Cat Tongues Cookies 
... Langues de Chat-Cat Tongues. Print Version A crunchy, buttery cookie with an unusual
name is quite popular, especially with ice cream or sorbets. ... http://frenchfood.about.com/library/...nguedechat.htm 
More Results From: frenchfood.about.com

RECIPE

CHARLIE TROTTERS WHOLE ROASTED FIGS WITH GOAT'S CHEESE ICE CREAM,
SPICY FIG SAUCE AND OATMEAL TUILES

]
ingredients
·
2 tablespoons unsalted butter ·
1/4 cup confectioners' sugar ·
1 1/2 teaspoons finely chopped lemon zest ·
3 tablespoons honey ·
1/3 cup flour ·
3 tablespoons rolled oats, lightly toasted ·
12 fresh figs ·
1/2 cup simple syrup, (equal amounts water and sugar heated until sugar dissolves), cooled
2 tablespoons port ·
6 tablespoons heavy cream
2 ounces goat's cheese
2 tablespoons granulated sugar ·
Goat's Cheese Ice Cream ·
Spicy Fig Sauce ·
1 tablespoon baby thyme sprigs

preparation instructions Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

To make the tuiles:

In a mixer fitted with a paddle, cream the butter, sugar, and lemon zest. Add the honey and Flour and mix well. Spread about 1/2 teaspoon of the batter onto a Silpat lined or nonstick sheet pan. Use a small offset spatula to spread the tuile into a 1 3/4-inch circle. Repeat the process, making at least 18 tuiles (the extra will allow for breakage). Sprinkle the top of each tuile with a pinch of rolled oats, reserving 1/2 tablespoon for garnish. Bake for 5 minutes, or until golden brown. (The tuiles may be cut with a ring cutter after cooking for a more precise shape.) Immediately transfer the tuile to a countertop or other flat surface to cool.

To prepare the figs:

Cut the tops off 6 of the figs. Use a small spoon to press a cavity into each fig and dip the whole fig in the simple syrup. Fill the figs with the port. (If the figs have any holes in the bottoms, cut small pieces off the tops to fill the holes.) Place the filled figs on a sheetpan and bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes,or until they have softened. Slice the remaining 6 figs in half Lengthwise and then cut them crosswise into 1/4-inch thick slices. Warm the slices in the remaining simple syrup.

To make the goat cheese cream:

Thoroughly combine 2 tablespoons of the heavy cream with the goat cheese and granulated sugar. Whisk the remaining 1/4 cup cream until it reaches soft peaks and fold into the goat cheese mixture.

To assemble, place 3 to 4 fig slices on one half of each plate. Place a small spoonful of the goat cheese cream on the figs and top with a tuile. Spoon another small spoonful of the cream, 3 to 4 fig slices, another tablespoon of the cream, and a tuile on top of the first stack. Build another layer with a spoon of cream, figs, another spoonful of cream, and a tuile. Place a roasted fig alongside the stacked figs and top with a quenelle of Goat Cheese Ice Cream. Spoon the Spicy Fig Sauce around the plates and sprinkle with the thyme sprigs and the remaining 1/2 tablespoon oatmeal.

cats' tongues

Also known as langues-de-chat (French for "cats' tongues"), these long, thin cookies resemble heir
namesakes in shape. They are light, dry and slightly sweet. Cats' tongues may be flavored with
citrus ZEST, chocolate or flavoring EXTRACTS.Two are sometimes sandwiched together with jam
or another sweet filling; they may also be frosted. Cats' tongues are commonly made by pressing a
thick batter through a pastry bag. A special langues-de-chat pan is also available in cookware
shops.

[emoji]169[/emoji]Copyright Barron's Educational Services, Inc. 1995 based
on THE FOOD LOVER'S COMPANION, 2nd edition, by Sharon
Tyler Herbst.

Hope some of you will try these
:bounce: :bounce: :bounce:


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## mudbug (Dec 30, 1999)

84RHONDA,

How did it go? Did you try them again? I tried them a couple of weekend's ago myself. Timing is everything. I highly recommend a Silpat. I personally don't think I would have been able to do it with out one.


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