Category Archives: tartlets

Brie Tartlets with Confit Tomatoes

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Filed under appetizers, Fleximolds, mini muffin, Recipe with Demarle Cookware, tartlets

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A friend of mine gave me some baby tomato plants last year, and despite me doing anything this year, they all came back and have given me many tomatoes. Ordinary I would eat the tomatoes off the wine because they are so good, but this particular tomato plant makes tomatoes that are not sweet and so I have to cook them, or accommodate them to eat them. As I was browsing easy vegetables appetizers, I came across a candied tomato recipe from the Power of Family Meal. I changed a few things and here it is:

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Ingredients for 20 medium sized tartlets:

  • 1 box of small baby tomatoes of about 1 pint ( the smaller the better- you really need 20 small tomatoes),
  • 250 gr. or about 10 oz of brie cheese,
  • 1 pie crust,
  • 1/4 cup of balsamic vinegar ( I used the Mediterranean Balsamic with Fig),
  • 2 tbsp of brown sugar.
  • 1/2 tbsp of olive oil.
  • salt and pepper to taste
  1. In a medium saucepan, warm up the oil and when it is sizzling,
  2. Add the tomatoes that you would have cut in half.IMG_2630
  3. Cook them for a minutes or two.IMG_2631
  4. Then add the vinegar and the sugar, a dash of salt and pepper and bring to boil.IMG_2635
  5. Cook for another 1 or 2 minutes. Set aside.
  6. With a cutter, cut the dough to fit the tartlet pan ( you will want to use the medium or the mini muffin pan because the cheese may over flow).
  7. With a shaper, push the dough down. Then with a fork, prick the dough so that the tartlet will stay flat and a pocket will not form at the bottom.
  8. Cut the cheese in 1/2 inch thick slices, then in rectangles of about 1 inch wide.
  9. Squeeze them and place them in each tartlet.
  10. Spoon two halves of tomatoes in each brie tartlets.IMG_2530
  11. Cook the tartlets in the oven at 400 for 15 minutes.
  12. Meanwhile place the saucepan back on the stove to reduce the liquid to about half. When the tartlets are cooked, and removed from the oven, drizzle some of that juice on top of the tartlets and eat ;-))IMG_2645

Bon Appetit and Happy Cooking!!!

Brie Tartlets with Confit Tomatoes

  • Servings: 7-10 people
  • Difficulty: Super easy
  • Print

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Ingredients for 20 medium sized tartlets:

  • 1 box of small baby tomatoes of about 1 pint ( the smaller the better- you really need 20 small tomatoes),
  • 250 gr. or about 10 oz of brie cheese,
  • 1 pie crust,
  • 1/4 cup of balsamic vinegar ( I used the Mediterranean Balsamic with Fig),
  • 2 tbsp of brown sugar.
  • 1/2 tbsp of olive oil.
  • salt and pepper to taste
  1. In a medium saucepan, warm up the oil and when it is sizzling,
  2. Add the tomatoes that you would have cut in half.
  3. Cook them for a minutes or two.
  4. Then add the vinegar and the sugar, a dash of salt and pepper and bring to boil.
  5. Cook for another 1 or 2 minutes. Set aside.
  6. With a cutter, cut the dough to fit the tartlet pan ( you will want to use the medium or the mini muffin pan because the cheese may over flow),
  7. With a shaper, push the dough down. Then with a fork, prick the dough so that the tartlet will stay flat and a pocket will not form at the bottom.
  8. Cut the cheese in 1/2 inch thick slices, then in rectangles of about 1 inch wide. Squeeze them and place them in each tartlet.
  9. Spoon two halves of tomatoes in each brie tartlets.
  10. Cook the tartlets in the oven at 400 for 15 minutes.
  11. Meanwhile place the saucepan back on the stove to reduce the liquid to about half.
  12. When the tartlets are cooked, and removed from the oven, drizzle some of that juice on top of the tartlets and eat ;-))

Bon Appetit and Happy Cooking!!!

Mint Chocolate Pie, for PI Day

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Filed under chocolate/ candy, dessert, Recipe with Demarle Cookware, silform, tartlets, Tarts and Pies, What's Up in Cecile's Kitchen

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Some of you probably know that I teach school in my spare time;-) Yes, I have a job, a real job that helps me pay my bills;-) I teach French to children aged 5 to 14. I love it!!! Well this week, has certainly been an interesting week with some of my students talking about  Pi day. Every time they came to my room, they kept asking if I knew that Friday was Pi Day, and telling me how crazy it would be. I remembered that when my children were in Middle school, they had a huge celebration at the end of their Pi Unit and were invited to bring in pies to share….Friday turned out to be a normal day, I was worried that they would be crazy coming to my class after eating pies, but the day went unnoticed;-) Yeah!!!

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I did not really paid attention to that Pi Day until this morning, when I looked at all the e-mails that mentioned this historical moment???

So I looked it up…

Did you know that this year March 14 is a very special Pi Day, become it only comes once in a century.

Why, because the number Pi is 3.141592653589793. And today being the 14th of March 2015 at 9:26 and 53 is closer to that number;-)

So what to do on this special day, well of course we need to bake some forms of pie, since we are celebrating the first five digits in the ratio of the circumference of a circle to its diameter.

In this special day, I will share with you a fun, easy recipe that are to please the little and the big ones: Chocolate Mint Pies.

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Ingredients for 30-32 Medium Sized Tartlets

  • 5 oz. of bitter-sweet chocolate Chips ( I used Ghiradhelli)
  • 5 oz. of Andes Chocolate Chips
  • 5 oz. of Heavy cream
  • 1 pack of sugar cookie dough ( I used Pillsbury’s)
  1. I guess you can use a mini muffin pan, but I used the Demarle Medium Tartlet Silpain  that I placed on a medium perforated sheet for even cooking. The dough does not stick and makes a beautiful finish when you use the silpain;-). IMG_1330
  2. Cut the sugar cookie dough with a sharp knife in rounds of about 1/6 to 1/4 of an inch.IMG_1322
  3. Place each round in each tartlet opening, and press them down gently. If you want to use the whole log of sugar cookie, you will need to make two batches. IMG_1324
  4. Cook the cookie dough at 400 for 7 minutes. IMG_1327
  5. When the cookie dough is baked, remove the pan from the oven, and with a very narrow shot glass, or a shaper press the dough down so you will have  a perfectly shaped and deep pie shell. IMG_1328IMG_1329
  6. Let the pie shells cool down at room temperature.
  7. Meanwhile, prepare the filling which is a sort of ganache. In a small bowl, place the chocolate chips and the andes chips.IMG_1323
  8. Warm the cream either over the stove top, or in the microwave until it boils.  I warmed mine up in the microwave because it only takes 90 seconds to 2 minutes.
  9. When the cream is hot, pour it over the chocolate chips, but DO NOT STIR!! IMG_1325The chocolate chips will need to melt on their own. After 1 minute, start stirring either with a fork or a small whisk and stir until it becomes an even smooth texture. If you still see a few grains or the ganache is not completely smooth, warm it up over a bath of boiling water for a few minutes, or back in the microwave for 30 seconds. IMG_1326
  10. Pour the ganache into a ziploc bag, cut the corner and carefully fill the pies.
  11. Place the pies in the fridge to cool and for the chocolate ganache to take. IMG_1331
  12. When they are completely cold, put a dab of frosting into a small zilpoc bag and decorate to make the Pi Sign. Et Voila!!! Yum, easy 😉
  13. IMG_1339

Bon Appetit and Happy Cooking!!!

Chocolate Mint Pi

  • Servings: 10 people
  • Difficulty: Super Easy
  • Print

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Ingredients for 30-32 Medium Sized Tartlets

  • 5 oz. of bitter sweet chocolate Chips ( I used Ghiradhelli)
  • 5 oz. of Andes Chocolate Chips
  • 5 oz. of Heavy cream
  • 1 pack of sugar cookie dough ( I used Pillsbury’s)
  1. I guess you can use a mini muffin pan, but I used the Demarle Medium Tartlet Silpain. The dough does not stick and makes a beautiful finish when you use the silpain;-).
  2. Cut the sugar cookie dough with a sharp knife in rounds of about 1/6 to 1/4 of an inch. Place each round in each tartlet opening, and press them down gently. If you want to use the whole log of sugar cookie, you will need to make two batches.
  3. Cook the cookie dough at 400 for 7 minutes.
  4. When the cookie dough is baked, remove the pan from the oven, and with a very narrow shot glass, or a shaper, press the dough down so you will have a perfectly shaped and deep pie shell.
  5. Let the pie shells cool down at room temperature.
  6. Meanwhile, prepare the filling which is a sort of ganache. In a small bowl, place the chocolate chips and the andes chips. Warm the cream either over the stove top, or in the microwave until it boils. I warmed mine up in the microwave because it only takes 90 seconds to 2 minutes.
  7. When the cream is hot, pour it over the chocolate chips, but DO NOT STIR!! The chocolate chips will need to melt on their own. After 1 minute, start stirring either with a fork or a small whisk and stir until it becomes an even smooth texture. If you still see a few grains or the ganache is not completely smooth, warm it up over a bath of boiling water for a few minutes, or back in the microwave for 30 seconds.
  8. Pour the ganache into a ziploc bag, cut the corner and carefully fill the pies.
  9. Place the pies in the fridge to cool and for the chocolate ganache to take.
  10. When they are completely cold, put a dab of frosting into a small zilpoc bag and decorate to make the Pi Sign. Et Voila!!! Yum, easy 😉

Bon Appetit and Happy Cooking!!!

 If you like to see, or read this recipe, please share. Merci Beaucoup!!!

Capuccino Cupcakes

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Filed under chocolate/ candy, Creams and Puddings, dessert, Fleximolds, loaf mold, mini muffin, petit four, Recipe with Demarle Cookware, tartlets, Tarts and Pies, What's Up in Cecile's Kitchen

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Any excuse to play in my kitchen is a great excuse. A few days ago, someone asked me how to bake perfectly round cups using sugar cookies or regular cookies. I had used them many times to make fun treats, but had never really tried to use them and bake them empty so I thought to give it another try. Well, as a result I was left with an array of empty shells to work with. Being a fan of chocolate, and coffee I decided to make those cute yummy treats. I hope that you will enjoy them. Plus, they are a fun treat to make with children. Easy, Mess free and Yummy!!!

Ingredients for 24 mini cupcakes:

  • 1 pre-baked sugar cookie dough ( i don’t have any preference, I used Pillsbury)
  • 1/2 cup of heavy cream
  • 4 oz. of bittersweet chocolate chips
  • 2 tbsp of sugar ( optional – i don’t because i like dark chocolate but those of you who may like  sweet desserts, i would)
  • 1 tbsp of coffee granule
  • 1/2 cup of heavy cream for the whipped cream
  • 2 tbsp of mascarpone or cream cheese at room temperature.
  • a few coffee beans for decoration.
  1. Turn the oven to 400. Place the mini cupcake tray on the medium perforated sheet and place a cookie square in each hole.photo 2
  2. Cook the cookies 10 minutes.photo 3
  3. Remove the pan from the oven, and with a shot glass ( i hope that you have one, or the back of a large spoon), press the dough down to make a well.photo 4
  4. Place the cookies back in the oven and cook for another 3-5 minutes ( it will depend on your oven).photo 5
  5. Let them cool completely and prepare the filling.photo 2
  6. Place the chocolate chips, sugar and coffee in a bowl and set aside.
  7. Place 1/2 cup of heavy cream in a small bowl and cook for 1 minute or until it is hot.
  8. Pour the cream over the chocolate mixture and let it set for 1 minute to let the chips  melt.
  9. Stir until you have a very liquid mixture free of lumps. Place it in the fridge to cool.
  10. Meanwhile prepare the whipped cream. We are adding the mascarpone cheese so that the whipped cream will not fall.
  11. Place the cream and the cheese into a small bowl and whip until you have stiff peaks.
  12. Remove the chocolate mixture from  the fridge, place it in a kitchen mixer and whip it until you have  a fluffy mousse.
  13. Place the chocolate whipped ganache into a ziploc bag, or pastry bag and fill each cup to half.photo 3
  14. Then, fill another ziploc bag with whipped cream and pipe the cream on top of the chocolate.photo 4
  15. Decorate with coffee beans. C’est tout!!!photo

Bon Appetit and Happy Cooking!!!

Peach Tart

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Filed under deep flexipan, dessert, Recipe with Demarle Cookware, silpat, tartlets, Tarts and Pies, What's Up in Cecile's Kitchen

I love fruits, and I will eat them a plenty during the day, but for dessert, I don’t want fruit. I want a real dessert. Something that is yummy, and delicate…Well right now the best thing to eat or to add to your menu is Peaches. They are so flavorful…

In France, there are many fruit desserts. You can have charlotte, bavarois, napoleon, mousse and of course tartes. Today I will offer you the recipe of a peach tart, and its espuma. Both are very easy to make again, but so delicate and so light. Not heavy at all, and not too sweet… the way fruit desserts should be!

Ingredients for 4 tarts:

  • 1/2 peach per person, so 2 peaches.
  • 1 puff pastry dough,
  • 1/4 cup of almond flour or mill
  • sugar.

Materials:

  • 1 medium saucepan,
  • 1 small frying pan,
  • measuring cups,
  • spatula,
  • dough cutter of 3 7/8 and 3 1/16,
  • deep  flexipan tray with its perforated sheet, round bowl.
  1. To make the tart: roll out the puff pastry dough with a rolling pin to thin it out a bit.
  2. With the larger dough cutter, cut a circle in your dough to make it the bottom of your pie.
  3. With the 3 7/8 and the 31/16, make a ring that you will place on top of your circle that will become the sides of your tart.
  4. Repeat this process for each individual tart you need to make. Set the empty tarts on a flexipan tray.
  5. Sprinkle some almond flour on each tart ( about 1 tbsp per each tart.)This is done so that the almond mill will absorb the moisture o the peach and will not make the dough soaggy.
  6. Slice your peaches in half and cut those halves in the length to make 6 slices.
  7. Place all of them in a large bowl, and sprinkle with sugar ( 1 Tbsp per peach), and lemon juice ( 2 to 3 drops per peach).
  8. Mix well to coat the peaches slices with the sugar.
  9. Rearrange the slices on the tart to remake the half of the peach.
  10. Sprinkle more sugar and lemon juice.
  11. You may add 1 tsp of butter on top of each tart to help the dough become golden. Bake in warm oven at 400 for 15 minutes.
  12. Serve with Espuma and Vanilla Ice Cream. YUM!!!

Bon Appetit and Happy Cooking!!!