Mignardises Tower Recipe

Make crust

In a medium bowl whisk together 0.75 cups flour, 0.125 cups cocoa powder and 0.25 cups powdered sugar. Cut in 3 tbs cold cubed butter with a pastry cutter or two forks until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add 1 egg yolk and 1 tsp cold water and mix quickly to form a dough. Press dough into five 2-inch mini tartlet pans (or one 4-5 mini size) evenly. Chill 20 minutes in refrigerator.

Blind bake

Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line tartlet shells with parchment and fill with pie weights or dried beans. Bake 12 minutes, remove weights and bake an additional 6–8 minutes until set. Let cool completely.

Make ganache & fill

Heat 0.5 cups heavy cream in a small saucepan just to simmer. Place 3 oz chopped bittersweet chocolate in a heatproof bowl; pour hot cream over chocolate and let sit 1 minute, then stir until smooth. Whisk in 1 tbs room-temperature butter and 0.125 tsp sea salt until glossy. Spoon or pipe ganache into cooled tartlet shells and refrigerate until set, about 30 minutes.

Make crust

Combine 0.75 cups flour and 0.125 cups granulated sugar in a bowl. Cut in 3 tbs cold cubed butter until mixture looks like coarse crumbs. Add 1 egg yolk and press mixture into five 2-inch tartlet pans. Chill 20 minutes.

Blind bake

Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C) if not already. Line shells and fill with weights. Bake 12 minutes, remove weights and continue 6–8 minutes until edges are lightly golden. Cool completely.

Make lemon curd

In a small saucepan whisk together 0.25 cups lemon juice, 1 tbsp lemon zest, 0.25 cups granulated sugar and 1 whole egg. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until mixture thickens and coats the back of a spoon (about 5–7 minutes). Do not boil. Remove from heat and whisk in 2 tbs butter pieces until smooth. Strain if desired and spoon into cooled tartlet shells. Chill until set, about 30 minutes.

Bloom gelatin

Sprinkle 1 tsp powdered gelatin over 1 tbs cold water in a small bowl and let bloom for 5 minutes.

Heat cream

In a small saucepan combine 0.5 cups whole milk, 0.5 cups heavy cream, 2 tsp sugar and 0.5 tsp vanilla seeds or extract. Warm over medium heat until sugar dissolves and mixture is hot but not boiling.

Combine & set

Remove from heat and stir in bloomed gelatin until fully dissolved. Pour into five small shot glasses or demi-spoon molds. Refrigerate until set, at least 2 hours. Keep chilled until assembly.

Prepare dry mix

Sift together 0.75 cups almond flour and 0.75 cups powdered sugar into a bowl. Add 1 tsp freeze-dried strawberry powder and stir to combine.

Make meringue

In a clean, dry bowl whip 1 room-temperature egg white to soft peaks, gradually adding 2 tbs granulated sugar until glossy and holding medium-stiff peaks.

Macaronage & pipe

Gently fold the dry mix into the meringue in 2 additions using a spatula until batter flows like lava and forms a thick ribbon. Transfer to a piping bag fitted with a small round tip and pipe 1-inch rounds onto a baking sheet lined with parchment, spacing them closely (you will get ~8 shells; use only five pairs or make extra). Tap tray gently to remove air bubbles; let shells sit at room temperature 20–30 minutes to form a skin.

Bake & fill

Preheat oven to 300°F (150°C). Bake for 12–14 minutes, rotating halfway, until shells lift easily. Cool completely. Pair shells and sandwich with 0.25 cups buttercream filling (use a small amount per sandwich) and refrigerate briefly to set.

Make batter

Whisk together 0.5 cups flour and 3 tbs granulated sugar in a bowl. In another bowl whisk 1 egg and 0.5 tsp vanilla until lightly aerated, then gently fold into dry ingredients. Stir in 2 tbs melted cooled butter until combined; batter will be thick.

Bake

Brush a mini madeleine pan with butter and lightly flour. Spoon batter into five molds, filling about 3/4 full. Bake at 375°F (190°C) for 8–10 minutes until edges are golden and springs back. Remove and cool on a rack.

Dip in chocolate

Melt 1 oz bittersweet chocolate in a small bowl over a double boiler or in short bursts in the microwave. Dip one end of each cooled madeleine into the chocolate and set on parchment to harden.

Arrange tower

Select a small serving stand or plate and arrange the five mini desserts attractively: one chocolate ganache tartlet, one lemon curd tartlet, one vanilla panna cotta shot, one strawberry macaron, and one chocolate-dipped madeleine. Use fresh berries and mint leaves (0.25 cups berries and 6 mint leaves) to garnish around and between items.

Final touches

Lightly dust the assembled tower with 1 tsp powdered sugar and serve immediately. Keep leftovers chilled; consume within 24 hours for best texture (panna cotta and tartlet creams are best within a day).