Vermicelles

Vermicelles...I know in the tube it looks a bit like dog food packs

Who knows what is Vermicelles? I for sure didn't until I came to Switzerland! Basically it's sweetened chestnut puree possibly flavoured with vanilla sugar or Kirsch (clear and colourless fruit brandy made of morello cherries) and it's served as a dessert or to a coffee and it looks like worms :D It can be served with whiped cream or meringues, or it can be used to top tartlettes. Here in Switzerland it's eaten specially in autumn and winter. 

So far I have always bought my Vermicelles tartlettes ready so thought to give it a try myself. Vermicelles is available in any normal size food store in Switzerland. I bought a double pack of Vermicelles in Coop because it was on sale. There are various different companies producing the chestnut puree and depending from the brand the ingredients in the puree can vary a bit. The puree I boght has chestnut 62%, sugar, water, glucose sirup, sunflower oil and acidifier E300. Properly packed and stored it's good for keeping some months. It can also be frozen down and this will further the use by date even further

Vermicelles press

To give the vermicelles that traditonal wormly look you will need a vermicelles press. I needed to buy one because as mentioned I had never done vermicelles before. I found my press in Coop after some searching...I think I bought the last one :D

Pressing vermicelles through the press. The name vermicelles comes apparently from the latin word vermiculus, little worm

 I was lazy and I just wanted to do me a quick dessert so I used ready made tartlette bases. I prepared some Kirsch flavoured pastry creme (quick to make Coop pastry cream powder) and piped it to the bottom of the tartlette. On the pastry cream I placed one small meringue with I topped with melted chocolate. On all that I pressed some of that vermicelles puree.

A tartlette topped by vermicelles

In the evening, before serving the tartlettes, I piped some or the left over pastry cream on the top and decorated with some raspberry marmelade. I actually wanted to use some whipped cream but unfortunately I was out of cream. They tasted really good. If you get hold of some chestnut puree you should definitely give these tartlettes a try.

Some finishing touches with vanilla creme and raspberry marmelade