Piste Train Mignardises Assortment (Printer View)

An elegant assortment of French mini pastries inspired by choux, financiers, and berry tartlets.

# 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 teaspoon granulated sugar
05 - Pinch of salt
06 - 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
07 - 2 large eggs

→ Chocolate Ganache

08 - 3.5 oz dark chocolate (60–70% cocoa), chopped
09 - 1/3 cup heavy cream

→ Mini Financiers

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

→ Fruit Tartlets

16 - 3.5 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)

# Method:

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 and cook for 1 to 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Transfer to a bowl, cool slightly, then beat in eggs one at a time until smooth and glossy.
03 - Pipe small rounds onto a baking sheet. Bake 20 to 25 minutes until puffed and golden. Cool completely.
04 - Heat cream until just simmering. Pour over chopped chocolate, let stand for 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, combine almond flour, powdered sugar, flour, and salt. Whisk in egg whites, then fold in browned butter. Spoon into mini financier molds or mini muffin tins. Bake 15 minutes until golden.
06 - Roll out sweet shortcrust pastry and cut into small rounds. Press into mini tartlet molds. Prick bases and bake blind at 350°F for 10 to 12 minutes. Cool, then fill with pastry cream and top with assorted berries.
07 - Arrange choux puffs filled or dipped with ganache, financiers as train cars, and tartlets as stations on a large platter resembling a winding train track. Decorate with powdered sugar and gold leaf or silver pearls if desired.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • An artistic way to present classical French desserts as a fun, interactive train track.
  • Combines varied textures and flavors: airy choux, nutty financiers, and fresh, fruity tartlets.
  • Ideal for impressing guests at celebrations or elevating a tea party.
  • Vegetarian-friendly with options to customize fillings and decorations.
02 -
  • Beat eggs into choux dough one at a time, ensuring full incorporation for glossy texture.
  • Use beurre noisette (browned butter) carefully for richest flavor in financiers; don't let it burn.
  • Prick tartlet shell bases before blind baking to avoid bubbling.
  • Allow ganache to cool fully for easier dipping or filling without melting the choux.
  • Arrange components thoughtfully to mimic a train track, balancing aesthetics and ease of serving.
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