There are phases of time when I am more apt to bake than others. For the past few months baking hasn’t really been my thang. But recently the interest is again peaked and I am rediscovering gadgets within my kitchen that assist with baking bliss. Several of the handiest tools were purchased from Pampered Chef consultants. These continue to be favorites and items I wouldn’t want to part with. Sometimes chef tools are odd in appearance and without explanation it would be hard to fathom the intended use. The Pampered Chef Baking Basics: Mini-Tart Shaper is perhaps one of the obscure.

This 6” wonder is offered via Pampered Chef and is called a Mini-Tart Shaper. Constructed from wood, the middle portion is slender and the both ends form approximate 1 ¼” knobs. The Pampered Chef Baking Basics: Mini-Tart Shaper will stand on end, but its main purpose is to assist with squishing food mixture into a desired shape.
The most common use for this gadget is for pressing tart dough into a shell formation within the Pampered Chef Baking Basics: Mini-Muffin Pan. However I have found that there are numerous recipes that this gizmo assists with and that the use isn’t restricted to creations within the Mini-Muffin pan. The flat ends and rounded edges of the knob portions of the mini-tart shaper make it perfect for forming an area within tart dough to hold desired filling.


The 6” long wooden mini-tart shaper arrives with a recipe/instruction book. Within this book you receive 3 splendorous recipes: basic tart dough, pecan tassies, and cookie kisses. If you have the Pampered Chef Baking Basics: Mini-Muffin Pan you received a recipe for Savory Vegetable Mini-Quiches and Dutch Apple Mini Tarts. All recipes are scrumptious and will be appreciated by those lucky enough to taste them.

Use
We are told to use even pressure while pressing the end of the tart shaper into the dough. It is suggested to flour the shaper prior to each tart depression.

Care
The Pampered Chef Baking Basics: Mini-Tart Shaper needs to be washed by hand with warm, soapy water, rinsed, and towel-dried.

During a phase of time that we hosted a weekly church home group this instrument assisted me with forming masterful appearing delicacies. Within little time and without much effort I was able to prepare dessert offerings that had the attendees ooohhhing and aaahhhing. Several guests thought many hours were expended on the little cherry tarts and other nummy goodies. Nope! They were all easy to make and relatively inexpensive.

Additional Use
In addition to using our Pampered Chef Baking Basics: Mini-Tart Shaper with the Mini-Muffin pan I also like to use it for various cookies that are cooked on the stone. For example I form peanut-butter dough into 1” balls, dip the mini-tart shaper into sugar, press the peanut butter ball, and cook according to directions. After the cookies have cooled, I dip one edge into melted chocolate. Nummy!

Final Thoughts
We are pleased with the Pampered Chef Baking Basics: Mini-Tart Shaper and recommend it for purchase. They are reasonable allowing for purchase of more than one. While you are apt to find Mini-Muffin pans locally, I have yet to see a Mini-Tart Shaper. However I often get goggle-eyed when cruising the isles of kitchen accessories so it is possible I missed these. My point is that if you happen to be at a pampered chef party why not expend the $3.75 for ownership.

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Most recently when pondering what home and garden items to rapidly review, I realized that this handy little item would make an excellent item of defense for Eenie, Meanie, Minie, & Moe. *If I happen to become foster mom for the kids you better believe they will be provided with a mini-tart shaper. ;)
*No offense intended, Home and Garden has issued a challenge to the Book folk.

© 2002
Lisa_J


Recommended: Yes

Amount Paid (US$): 3.75