What Is It Series

UrbnSpice asks, “What is It?” Series – 3rd Edition.  This edition of “Urbnspice Asks, What is It?” was inspired by a gluten-free menu that I recently created and catered for a special couple celebrating their 1st anniversary together. Since my speciality is pastry, I wanted the dessert to be very special indeed.  The mysterious photograph is a Rice Flour Tuile Dessert Garnish.

As a pastry chef, it always concerned me that most celiac customers were not given dessert choices or options and I wanted to change that.  I was absolutely determined to offer them something other than sorbet or a fruit plate.  Since writing my latest book, “Chocolate Desserts Made Easy and Delicious – Gluten-Free Chocolate Desserts”, I have been experimenting further using my recipe repertoire to adapt, test and expand my selection of gluten-free desserts, including garnishes.

Tuile pastes are extremely versatile in the pastry kitchen.  They can be formed, moulded and spread into a myriad of shapes, sizes and stacks.  I decided to experiment with the rice blend that I used in my book and make a gluten-free version of this popular and delicious cookie garnish.  The rice flour tuile turned out beautifully.  I used it to garnish a white chocolate crème brûlée.

As far as I am concerned, a crème brûlée is not complete without something crispy, like a cookie to top it off.  Often, people with gluten restrictions are left out of this treat.  Not any longer!  To be honest, I am delighted with the translucent nature the rice flour gave to the finished product. You will notice from the photograph below, that I also used the same tuile paste to make a nutmeg tuile nest on top of the brûlée.

This was done by piping lines of the paste onto a Silpat sheet (I used my fine grater/zester to add freshly grated nutmeg into the paste before piping). It takes only minutes to make an entire baking sheet. I gathered about four or five lines of the piped and baked tuile paste while they were still quite hot (lifting them with an offset spatula) and forming them quickly into a ‘nest’, of sorts. Then, I let them cool and kept them in a dry storage place until I needed them to garnish my brûlée dessert.

 UrbnSpice asks, What is It? 3rd Edition – Results

So, in summary, the answer to this edition of “UrbnSpice asks, What is It?” It is a tuile garnish made from rice flour. The shot in the original photo is the top of the tuile garnish – it is almost ethereal in appearance, isn’t it?

When I was moulding these tuiles, I was so taken with its beauty that I knew I had to display it in some fashion to highlight its delicate characteristic without giving away what they really were. Your guesses were wonderful –  from sugar, Isomalt,  to stalactite. Inspiration can come in many forms, and nature often gives me ideas for my work. I hope you enjoyed this edition of “UrbnSpice asks, “What is It?”

As I mentioned, this tuile paste is very versatile.  Here, I also used it in the mignardise selection that I offered at the end of the dinner in the form of petite Langues de chat cookies.  Also shown, Crumb Truffles and Apple-Lime Jellies (an old-fashioned confectionery).

If you would like a step by step of how I made the Rice Flour Tuile garnish, here is your how-to:

RICE FLOUR TUILE BATTER

 INGREDIENTS:       

• 5 oz. Rice Flour gluten-free flour blend or all-purpose Flour
• 5 oz. Icing Sugar
• 4 oz. Egg Whites
• 5 oz. Butter, melted

METHOD:

1. Mix icing sugar and flour together in a mixer.
2. Add egg whites and mix to blend.
3. Add melted butter (cooled slightly) and blend until smooth.
4. For my dessert, (as shown in the photo above), I spread the tuile paste very thinly spreading out towards edges and lifting the offset spatula as I spread the batter on a Silpat sheet so that the outer edges are not really defined.  The other option is to spread any template (heart, leaf, circle, square, etc.) thinly with tuile batter, gently lift the template away & bake the tuile for 3-5 minutes (approximately).   Shape quickly, as desired.

Thanks for participating!

More UrbnSpice asks, “What is It?”

UrbnSpice asks, “What is It?” – 1st Edition

Urbnspice asks, What is It? – Edition Two: http://bit.ly/WhatisIt2

LEARNING TIPS:  

Please CLICK the link above to access my UrbnSpice LEARNING TIPS, which are listed alphabetically on the Learning Tips blog post under the following subheadings:

• Oven Temperature Accuracy
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If you try my recipe for Rice Flour Tuile a try, please come back and leave me a comment below with your feedback.

You can find me on social media (see links below) – just be sure to tag @urbnspice and #urbnspice so I am sure to see it. Enjoy! 

 

Denise Paré-Watson

The Urbnspice Chef

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