January Daring Baker's Challenge : Honey Almond Fortune Tuiles with Green Tea Ginger Ice Cream

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 Angélique Schmeink and Nougatine and Chocolate Tuiles from Michel Roux.

I took a quick peek at the challenge in the beginning of January, But, because life has a way of happening and happening, and...well you get the point. I didn't give it much thought nor did I print it out, that is until this week. When I finally printed out the recipes I learned that "The Dutch traditionally made this batter and used it to bake flat round cookies on 31st December, representing the year unfold. On New Years day however, the same batter was used but this day they were presented to well-wishers shaped as cigars and filled with whipped cream, symbolizing the New Year that's about to roll on." I've never made tuiles so this would be fun.

I began thinking about what my twist would be. Nothing was popping until I was baking with my boys. This week they decided that our baking project would be peanut cookies, which are a tradition for Chinese New Year. (I'll post those cookies next.) The new year, the year of the ox, was celebrated on January 26, 2009. And as my boys and I made the cookies I was inspired. Why not make fortune cookie shaped tuiles and serve them with green tea ice cream?! I noticed that the tuiles recipe was similar to fortune cookie recipes, really similar, so why not?

I tweaked my idea and came up with my version of the January Daring Bakers Challenge: Honey Almond Fortune Tuiles served with Green Tea Ginger Ice Cream.

Following is a recipe taken from a book called “The Chocolate Book”, written by female Dutch Master chef Angélique Schmeinck.
Recipe:Yields: 20 small butterflies/6 large (butterflies are just an example)
Preparation time batter 10 minutes, waiting time 30 minutes, baking time: 5-10 minutes per batch.

65 grams / ¼ cup / 2.3 ounces softened butter (not melted but soft)
60 grams / ½ cup / 2.1 ounces sifted confectioner’s sugar (used ¼ cup sugar and ¼ cup honey)1 sachet vanilla sugar (7 grams or substitute with a dash of vanilla extract) (used dash of vanilla and dash of almond)
2 large egg whites (slightly whisked with a fork)
65 grams / 1/2 cup / 2.3 ounces sifted all purpose flour
1 table spoon cocoa powder/or food coloring of choice (omitted)

Butter/spray to grease baking sheet

Oven: 180C / 350F
Using a hand whisk or a stand mixer fitted with the paddle (low speed) and cream butter, sugar and vanilla to a paste. Keep stirring while you gradually add the egg whites. Continue to add the flour in small batches and stir to achieve a homogeneous and smooth batter/paste. Be careful to not over mix.

Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and chill in the fridge for at least 30 minutes to firm up. (This batter will keep in the fridge for up to a week, take it out 30 minutes before you plan to use it). I did not put it in the fridge. It worked out better for me.

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or grease with either butter/spray and chill in the fridge for at least 15 minutes. I used the back of my baking sheet. This will help spread the batter more easily if using a stencil/cardboard template such as the butterfly. Obviously I did not make butterflies. Here is the method I used for the fortune cookies: Pipe half dollar sized circles onto buttered parchment paper. Maximum of 4 to a baking sheet. Spread the batter using an offset metal spatula spread the batter like a half moon. Turn the baking sheet and repeat, creating a circle.

Bake in a preheated oven (180C/350F) for about 5-10 minutes or until the edges turn golden brown. Immediately release from baking sheet and proceed to shape/bend the cookies in the desired shape. These cookies have to be shaped when still warm, you might want to bake a small amount at a time or maybe put them in the oven to warm them up again. Or, place a baking sheet toward the front of the warm oven, leaving the door half open. The warmth will keep the cookies malleable.

Quickly place the fortune on the cookie. Fold in half. Place the folded edge across the rim of a bowl or cup. Pull the pointed edges down, one on the inside of the cup and one on the outside. Place folded cookies into the cups of a muffin tin to hold their shape until firm.

Green Tea Ginger Ice Cream (Found on Food Rockz, who found it on Ice Cream Ireland. Both blogs worthy of your time should you be curious.)

Murphy's Green Tea and Ginger Ice Cream
Ingredients:
130g sugar
5 egg yolks 240 ml cream
250 ml milk
2 tablespoon green tea leaves (4 bags)
60 g crystallized ginger
1 tablespoon honey

What to do:

Heat the milk to a low simmer over medium heat. Add the tea and honey and maintain at a simmer over low heat for about 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and remove the tea bags. Beat the sugar and egg yolks together until thick and pale yellow. Beat the milky tea into the eggs and sugar in a slow stream. Pour the mixture back into the pan and place over low heat. Stir continuously until the custard thickens slightly (around 65-70C) and just coats the back of a spoon. Don’t over-heat, though, because at around 76C you will scramble the eggs! Immediately remove from the heat. Transfer the custard into a small container, cover, and refrigerate until cool (5C). Chop the crystallized ginger into small pieces. Whip the cream until it has doubled in volume (you should have soft peaks - don’t over-whip). Fold the cream (gently stir) into the custard. Freeze using a domestic ice cream machine, or cover and place in the freezer, stirring every few hours to break up the ice crystals. Add the ginger once the ice cream has become semi-solid. If you’re using a domestic ice cream machine, transfer to a freezer-proof covered container when the ice cream has achieved a semi-solid consistency (around 15 minutes). Place it in the freezer, and continue to freeze until it is solid. Yield: 8 servings

I made one lonely little cigar shaped tuile and filled with the green tea-ginger ice cream. I ate it promplty after taking the photo! Yummy!