How to: 3D Chips

Hello everyone! So I recently made these cute little chips for my daughter and they held their shape, had a light texture, and were nice and buttery! My daughter, Hazel, absolutely loves chips! I think they are her favorite snack. (Her father got her started on Doritos) and don't get me wrong, I love those salty, greasy store bought chips. They are THE junk food to buy on the chip isle; I just would rather my daughter not get used to eating those. Enter: Homemade tortilla chips! Completely customizable, the ingredients are always known, and you can make them in any shape you'd like to meet the interests of your little one! Did I mention how easy these are too?

For the chips in the picture I used a butterfly fondant cutter to make them into butterflies to see how well they would perform in a little experiment. I used wheat flour tortillas because that it's what I had on hand, but I find that corn are sturdier and easier to work with. The flour tortillas are a bit flaky in texture and are oh-so delicious! The corn tortillas can bubble in the oven, which gives them their infamous texture, but may not make for uniform chips. The Tortillas in general can get soggy when over saturated, so try not to go too heavy on the oil. Spraying the chips with oil before placing them on the pan allows the oil to coat them lightly and more evenly. Seasoning them before placing them on the pan is easier and makes for a more evenly distributed flavor. 

Of course I don't have a pan that is made for this sort of thing, so I improvised and found that my cupcake tin could easily suffice. (You can also lay that tin into a flat pan for more stability). I took my (dingy) pan and cut out parchment in strips that were a few inches wide and about the length of the pan. Then, realizing I had more space to utilize, I cut out a few more strips to fit into all of the curves of the pan. If you find you have trouble with the parchment staying in place, just spray or brush oil on to the pan before laying the parchment down.

After spraying the butterfly chips with spray oil and seasoning them, I just laid them down into the pan in the shape I would like the butterfly to take. Then it was in the oven until they became golden, crispy, and held their shape.

When removed from the oven, my little butterfly creations came to life! Their wings appeared to flutter and were all slightly different, having their own unique flaws. When laying them all down side-by-side they looked even more interesting showing the different variations of shape and color! Needless to say, my daughter loved them and had a fun meal!

Recipe:

• 1 tortilla

• Butter flavor (or Olive oil) spray oil

• Salt to taste

• 0g fat Butter granules (or you can use butter flavored popcorn seasoning if you would like, reducing salt if needed)

Directions:

Using the fondant cutter or cookie cutter of choice, steadily cut out the shapes, using as much of the tortilla as possible to avoid waste. Lay the shapes out evenly on a clean work surface, cutting board, or pan. Spray the shapes with a light spray of oil just to coat the tortilla pieces on each side. Sprinkle with salt and butter seasoning to taste on each side. Carefully lay the shapes on the parchment, in the position you would like the wings to be. Cook at 350°F until the chips are golden, crunchy, and keep their shape. Let cool on a paper towel to remove excess oil. They are best the day of, but to store them just let them cool completely and store in an air-tight container.