A little information about the templates and a few tips about using them...
The templates are made from food standard HDPE plastic. If used correctly and cleaned properly they should last many years. After use, wash the template in soapy lukewarm water. Never put the template in a dishwasher as the high temperatures would buckle the thin plastic. Dry with kitchen paper or a tea towel and then store flat. If before using you find the template slightly curved, place it on a flat surface such as a table or worktop and leave it for a while. This is because it is made of very thin material and is somewhat affected by atmospheric conditions. Normally by leaving it in this way, it will resume its flat appearance.
The template is designed to be used with a standard British baking sheet.
The kitchen equipment we recommend to make the tuiles is :-
- Baking sheet
- Greaseproof paper or silicone rubber sheet
- Straight edged palette knife – as long as possible
- *Flexible spreading knife (the sort used for spreading butter or margarine)
- *Masking tape or similar – preferably about 2” wide
- *Triangular cake slice/knife (Good for lifting and moving the tuiles)
*Optional
Making your tuiles
Mix your tuile paste as set out in the recipe. Normally it is chilled in the fridge for about 30 minutes. Too long chilling and it will be too stiff, but on the other hand, it must not be runny. It should more or less be the consistency of toothpaste, if not slightly stiffer.
The baking sheet is placed on the worktop or table followed by the greaseproof paper or silicone sheet and then the template. You can hold the template down with one hand when spreading the mixture but it is easier if you tape the sandwiched three items onto the work surface.
Do this simply by lining up the top of the template with the greaseproof paper/silicone sheet and the baking sheet and with a long piece of tape overlapping the template by about ½” and having approximately 2” extra on each end stick the template onto the work surface.This will enable you to use both hands.
Make sure you cover the edges of your shapes with the mixture (use of the flexible spreader makes this easy), put a surplus of mixture over the template then drag your palette knife across removing all the paste apart from that within the shapes.
The surplus can be returned to the mixing bowl. When you are happy with your spreading, carefully remove the tape and lift off the template to reveal the tuile shapes on the greaseproof paper or silicone rubber sheet. Place the baking sheet in the oven (see recipes for temperatures and cooking times)
After the recommended time or when the tuiles are just starting to turn brown on their edges remove from the oven. If you are bending the tuiles while warm, leave the tray in the oven with the door open. You have to be quite quick when you are bending the tuiles as they cool very rapidly and become brittle.