Petra's Dilemma: Making Crispy Crepe Shells for a 'Death by Chocolate' Show

[Petra]

Hello everyone!
I have a "Death by chocolate show" tomorrow and I am preparing the crispy crepe shells today. This is the 3rd time that I am trying to make these shells and I am not able to unfold the crepes entirely. I have also tried to cut out a circle of the already quartered crepes, but they look absolutely aweful when they bake.
Does anyone have any ideas on how to work with these crepes to make these beautiful shells that are printed in our season's best cook book????
My only option at this point is to actually buy already made shells, but I really would love to make them as we should (according to the recipe)
I would appreciate any suggestion from you!
Thank you!
Petra (all cracked up in Montreal)

 

[dawn424383]

I made a mini version of the crispy shells. I used the scalloped bread tube to cut out the crepes and then baked them in the mini muffin pan. They work great for a show because everybody can have one (or two ) without having to split a large one. Unless, you intend to make enough for everyone to have a large one, but they seem awful big to me. I read somewhere, maybe on this site, that you can use pie crust shells. They are easier to work with. Just mist with a little water and sprinkle with sugar before you bake. Hope these suggestions help. Let us know how it turns out.

Dawn Trudell
Independent Kitchen Consultant
Fort Wayne, IN

 

[Petra]

Thank you very much Dawn! This is a great idea and I will try this right away! Hopefully I will have more luck with the small shells then with the large once.
I will let you know how it turned out!

 

[Marg]

I use sheets of phyllo - and either make full-sized cups in the muffin stone or bite-sized ones in the mini-muffin pan. I make them ahead of time and take them/serve them in the Chillzane rectangle.

 

[ChefLoriG]

I use wonton wrappers to make the shells. Just brush on some melted butter and sprinkle them with sugar, then put in the mini muffin pan. They come out great and tast great with the mousse. The wonton wrappers are also much cheaper than the crepes, and you get enough for 2 recipes.

 

[Petra]

Thank you all for your wonderful ideas!
I did try the wonton wrappers last night and I baked them in the muffin pans, (since I don't have the mini muffin pan yet) and they didnt' turn out. Since my show is this afternoon, I will cave in and buy the ready made shells for today. However before my next " Death by chocolate show" I will definitely try the phylo dough and see if that works better for me and I am ordering the mini muffin pan as we speak

Thank you all again! It is wonderful to have everyones support!
Have a wonderful weekend!
Petra

 

[Rachel]

Here is how you get them to look like in the cookbook. Fold them in half once then once again. Cut out a heart shape leaving the bottom corner intact. Just round off the tops where they are square. Is this making any sense? If you look at the picture in the book where they are cutting it you may understand what I mean better. It says to fold it in 8th's but that was impossible. Hope this helps. Rachel

 

[powelljj]

I had problems finding crepes and couldn't work with the phyllo dough, but someone suggested using refrigerated pie crusts and they work wonderfully. You roll the pie crust out until they are really thin, they push them in the mini muffin pan and push them down with the tart shaper. Prick them with the pastry tool and bake for 6-8 minutes. They look and taste great and, like Dawn said, they are bite-sized and easy to sample.

Good luck and I hope your show went okay.

 

[pchefsharron]

I had problems finding crepes and couldn't work with the phyllo dough, but someone suggested using refrigerated pie crusts and they work wonderfully. You roll the pie crust out until they are really thin, they push them in the mini muffin pan and push them down with the tart shaper. Prick them with the pastry tool and bake for 6-8 minutes. They look and taste great and, like Dawn said, they are bite-sized and easy to sample.

Good luck and I hope your show went okay.

Good Morning, I also use the pie crust (homemade) to do my shells but I use the scalloped bread tube to cut them out and also bake them in both the mini-muffin pan or stoneware muffin pan so guests get to see how both worked. . So far everyone loves them. Do remember to prick them before they bake though or they puff up.

 

[cla519]

Where did you find the ready made crepes? I'm in Winnipeg and haven't found them in any of the big stores. I tried the wontons and they turned out hard and tasted awful they just seemed way to thick.

 

[kcjodih]

Cheryl,

I'm in Ontario and found the ready made crepes in packages hanging in the fruit section of the grocery store in front of the berries. They're packaged like tortillas and pita pockets.

I'd like to know what everyone means by refrigerated pie crusts!?! Are you talking about the boxed shells in the freezer section? I haven't found a refrigerated section that has pie crusts in it.

 

[ChefSandyK]

Refrigerated Pie CrustsWe have them here in the refrigerated section. They are usually next to the tubes of pizza dough, biscuits, and cresent rolls. They typically come in a square box, two to a package. Most times, they are made by Pillsbury, but often there is a store brand, too.

Have a great day,
Sandy

 

[kcjodih]

Darn! We don't have those here. Thanks for the info though and I WILL keep looking!

 

[Rachel]

Where found readu made crepesfound them at Wal-Mart n the produce secton by the berres The s broken on here

 

[Stephanie S]

I use wonton wrappers to make the shells. Just brush on some melted butter and sprinkle them with sugar, then put in the mini muffin pan. They come out great and tast great with the mousse. The wonton wrappers are also much cheaper than the crepes, and you get enough for 2 recipes.

I found that the wonton wrappers when baked got really hard - any suggestions?