Where to buy/improvise Cornet Molds for a French Laundry Recipe [Cooking]

2008 May 16
I am thinking of trying the recipe for the French Laundry's famous Salmon Tartare Cornets.

The one question I have is where to get a cornet mold in Ottawa, or, alternatively how to improvise one.

The cookbook itself says to use an oven proof 35 4 1/2" cornet mold. My guess is that won't be easy to find in Ottawa, and it might be very expensive. But, I am anxious to be proven wrong.

The other alternative would be to improvise a mold. I saw an excellent example on the web that actually gives the entire recipe where they use manilla folders to make a mold. It seems like not a bad idea, but I am wondering where I might get a manilla folder that does not have a chemical coating - I am concerned about any leaching on to the cornets themselves.

The site is here: www.instructables.com

Any other suggestions as to what could be used etc. would be appreciated.

Cheers!

2008 May 16
Could you use tuille? Basically a light dough which you bake, then mold while still warm from the oven. You can mold into cones by rolling around the end of a wooden spoon.

Alternatively, you could try using wheat tortillas (I just did this at the restaurant tonight acually :), I made an amuse bouche of tortilla cornets, stuffed with fresh salsa, spicy fried chickpeas, and chive sour cream). I cut soft tortillas into wedges (for giant cones you could use the whole tortilla I guess), rolled them into cones and secured with a toothpick, then deepfried them (and removed the toothpick). Worked like a charm.

2008 May 16
Have you tried Preston Hardware or C.A. Paradis? What you are looking for are basically a metal cream horn mold. Preston Hardware carries a lot of small kitchen supplies and might have them.

2008 May 16
Use your large piping bag tips..

2008 May 16
Thanks for the help everyone... a few questions -

Food is Hot - I am tempted by the wheat tortillas just because it would make things easier. I am not 100% positive, if I would want to deep fry them. If I did deep fry them, how long would you recommend I do it for and at what temperature? Alternatively, if I rolled them up into a cone and place them into an oven for 5 minutes would that make them a little firmer?

Da Butcher. Piping tips! Great idea that I never thought about. Do they make piping tips that big (I am assuming I could find them at either CA Paradis or Ma Cuisine).

Cheers

2008 May 16
medicinejar I'm probably wading in knee deep here on a topic I know nothing about but I noticed in my trips to the Bulk Barn that they have a large selection of piping bag tips. (I frequent the South Keys and Carlingwood locations but I imagine they would have the same variety at all their stores.) I'm not sure if they would have the size you are looking for but it might be worth a shot. Alternatively maybe Artistic Cake Design might have what you are looking for? Good luck in your search those salmon cornets look awfully good. BTW I don't recall seeing piping tips at Paradis or Ma Cuisine - you might want to call first...

food is hot I know little about pastry but do you think phyllo pastry would work with this dish?...

2008 May 16
I found a few suggestions on eGullet in this thread forums.egullet.org

One person mentioned their best improvisation was a metal turkey baster.

2008 May 16
You can get those at Superstore - just be sure to clean them EXTREMELY well first because the one I bought still had a considerable amount of industrial gunk inside it from the factory.

2008 May 16
Could you buy a stack of cheap foil pie plates, cut the circular bottoms out and use those rolled up?
Or cut across the diameter and then rolled depending on the size of cornet you're making?

2008 May 16
I was just at Hendrix on Merivale, and picked up some "cream horn molds". They are about 4 inches long, and come in a 6 pack for $4. Be warned, there was only one pack left.

2008 May 16
For deep frying tortillas, it only takes a couple of minutes - not sure how baking would turn out, I haven't tried it :P

Mousseline is really the resident pastry expert lol; as far as phyllo goes, it might work, I would think it would be quite difficult to get it to mold properly seeing as after it is brushed with butter it is quite soft and difficult to maneover...more research required methinks :)

Great idea AMR with the pie plates.

2008 May 16
I think I will be taking a stab with the pie plates! As soon as I read it, I thought... why didn't I think of that.

Given the price, I might give Hendrix on Merivale a shot too.

Thanks for everyone's help.

Cheers

2008 May 16
Those are so cute. If they are finger food for a party, phyllo could be awkward for crumbs etc. You would also have to bake it right on the molds. The recipe you linked to refers to baking a tuile and then molding it. I would use the recipe provided. The trick with tuiles is to only bake 1 or 2 at a time until you get the hang of shaping them. I also peel them up off the silpat as soon as they are cool enough to hold together (though they are still hot to the touch at this point).

2008 May 16
I was going to suggest piping tips too!

Heavy gauge tinfoil would work. They don't HAVE to be hollow, so you could crumple a handfull to a cone shape and then wrap with a smoother piece. I'd probably give them a spray with Pam before using.

And the link to the instructables site kept me distracted for ages. What a cool site! TY.

2008 May 17
Hat tip to tre who alerted me to the "cream horn molds" at Hendrix. There was one pack left and I got it! Problem solved all for $3.99!

As well, I never knew about Hendrix before. Its a great store and I spotted a few things I will have to buy!

Cheers and thanks again Tre and to everyone who gave me suggestions. I will let you know how they turn out.

Of course, if it flops, I will blame all of you. ;-)