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Tart Shell Help


Mayhaw Man

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I need to bake 150 small tart sized shells for crawfish pies. I really would like to use something that is NOT disposable but does not cost a ton of money. These are to be served as cocktail food at a Gallery Opening.

I can use mini muffin tins (have done it before, but it is a pain to turn them out of the tin-too much breakage, even when I use parchment liners) and am looking for a source for individual tins. Obviously I don't want to drop a ton of dough on these (actually I do want to drop dough on them, but I don't want to spend much money on the tins).

A little help, por favor?!

Brooks Hamaker, aka "Mayhaw Man"

There's a train everyday, leaving either way...

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This may sound crazy but I bake mini tart shells using the back of the mini muffin tins. Just butter the individual backs of the cups, put a ball of dough on the top, flatten it slightly and bake. The dough will spread down the sides forming a little cup. The tart shells will slip right off. The downside is that the edges of the shells are not even but I figure if the filling is good who cares.

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I've purchased mini tart shell very cheaply at regular stores. Outlet centers if they have a cooking store almost always have these. You get like a 4 pack of assorted shapes. If you want ones that are all the same shape-then you have to buy from a bakery supply source and they are more money.

Try: http://www.Kerkesequip.com

I've found very good prices there AND their service was very good.

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I'm sorry, I was not clear enough to get the help I need. :biggrin:

Pate Brisee-3"

Cheating might be the way to go, but I have some time this week and thought I would scratch it (I usually do when I have the time, no sub for real pastry IMO-at least not if it is any good :wink: )

Thanks

Brooks Hamaker, aka "Mayhaw Man"

There's a train everyday, leaving either way...

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Another option is to use silicon molds. Design and Realisation in Canada sells Silicon Flex brand molds very inexpensively, and since they are silicon they never stick to anything. They have tartlet molds in 45, 50, 60 and 70 mm sizes. You can see the full range here (scroll down near the bottom of the page for tartlets).

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Neil,

Those are very cool. Although I am not sure that they would work South of the Border as they are metric. :wink::laugh:

Have you used them before? If so, how did they perform?

Brooks Hamaker, aka "Mayhaw Man"

There's a train everyday, leaving either way...

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Thanks for the help. I just ordered a few sets. Like I need some more cooking gear!

Hopefully my wife will not see the credit card bill. At this point I think she would give me less hell for a $100 dollar charge for "services" in a strip joint. :wacko::laugh: She does not see the need for more stuff to cook with (she seems to have the same problem with fishing and hunting equipment-go figure :hmmm: ).

Brooks Hamaker, aka "Mayhaw Man"

There's a train everyday, leaving either way...

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  • 2 months later...
  • 3 weeks later...

Picture ettoufee heavy on the crawfish and the herbs, kind of thick, but not too, to make up for evaporation during the short baking period (roughly 15 min @350). Took some pictures of some of them, but I am not sure if they are the new shells or the ones I made using pre made shells from the bakery.

I will post photos and recipe when I get home.

Incidentally, those flex molds are very cool and pretty well priced, considering what a hunk of silpat costs.

Brooks Hamaker, aka "Mayhaw Man"

There's a train everyday, leaving either way...

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Thanks. Look forward to seeing the pics.

The Canadian site has the best prices on these molds I have seen. W-S charges more than twice as much.

But they're from W-S. They must be better. :wink:

Brooks Hamaker, aka "Mayhaw Man"

There's a train everyday, leaving either way...

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Yes.

I bought some 50's as well for oyster pattie molds and to use for bit size fruit tarts.

Brooks Hamaker, aka "Mayhaw Man"

There's a train everyday, leaving either way...

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Since I've got 3 inch flan rings for rustic tarts (thanks for the article, Mamster), I am going to experiment with the smallest tarlett size (45mm) for bite size, the 65mm savarin, and the mini Madelline (44 mm).

Was there a particular reason you went with 50mm for bite size in the tartlett? I was going to go 50 mm, too, but Fifi pointed out that 50mm looks like a two bite munch. Of course a person who is so wrong about okra could be wrong about anything. :biggrin:

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  • 2 weeks later...

I got the three molds in, and they are very similar to Gastroflex -- perhaps barely slightly thinner silicon. Rated to 450 degrees F, rather than the 500 F of Gastroflex. From the packaging looks like they may have been made in Italy. With the shipping I think it averages about $14.50 per mold. Not bad, compared to $20+ at most retailers for Gastroflex. I'll post more when I have worked with them a little.

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