Piste de Train Mignardises (Printable Version)

A charming assortment of miniature French pastries arranged to resemble a whimsical train track.

# What You'll Need:

→ Choux Pastry

01 - 1/4 cup water
02 - 1/4 cup whole milk
03 - 3 1/2 tbsp unsalted butter, cubed
04 - 1/2 tsp granulated sugar
05 - Pinch of salt
06 - 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
07 - 2 large eggs

→ Chocolate Ganache

08 - 3 1/2 oz dark chocolate (60–70% cocoa), chopped
09 - 3 1/2 tbsp heavy cream

→ Mini Financiers

10 - 1/4 cup unsalted butter
11 - 1/3 cup almond flour
12 - 3 tbsp icing sugar
13 - 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
14 - Pinch of salt
15 - 2 large egg whites

→ Fruit Tartlets

16 - 3 1/2 oz sweet shortcrust pastry (pâte sucrée)
17 - 1/3 cup pastry cream
18 - 1 1/2 oz assorted fresh berries (raspberries, blueberries, strawberries)

→ Decoration

19 - 2 tbsp powdered sugar (for dusting)
20 - 1 tbsp edible gold leaf or silver pearls (optional)

# Directions:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
02 - In a medium saucepan, combine water, milk, butter, sugar, and salt. Bring to a boil. Remove from heat, add flour, and stir vigorously until dough forms. Return to heat; cook 1–2 minutes, stirring constantly. Transfer to bowl, cool slightly, then beat in eggs one at a time until smooth and glossy.
03 - Pipe small rounds onto prepared sheets. Bake 20–25 minutes until puffed and golden. Cool completely.
04 - Heat cream until just simmering. Pour over chopped chocolate; let stand 1 minute, then stir until smooth and glossy. Cool to room temperature.
05 - Melt butter until golden brown (beurre noisette). Cool slightly. In a bowl, mix almond flour, icing sugar, all-purpose flour, and salt. Whisk in egg whites, then fold in browned butter. Spoon batter into mini financier molds or mini muffin tins. Bake 15 minutes until golden.
06 - Roll out sweet shortcrust pastry and cut small rounds. Press into mini tartlet molds. Prick bases and bake blind at 350°F for 10–12 minutes. Cool completely.
07 - Fill cooled tart shells with pastry cream and top with assorted fresh berries.
08 - Place choux puffs filled or dipped with ganache, financiers, and tartlets on a large platter to resemble a winding train track. Dust with powdered sugar and garnish with edible gold leaf or silver pearls if desired.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • Perfect for festive occasions
  • Elegant dessert platter
02 -
  • Vary the fillings for choux puffs (e.g. coffee or vanilla cream)
  • Use seasonal fruit for tartlets
03 -
  • Use quality chocolate for ganache to enhance flavor
  • Chill dough for tartlets to prevent shrinking
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