Tuiles

By norsegal8

What I like best about these crispy thin cookies is their delicate texture and subtle nutty flavor do not overpower but instead compliment and fruit, fresh or poached.

Ingredients

• 1/3 cup (about 3 large) egg whites
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled to lukewarm
• 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 2 ounces sliced almonds, preferably blanched

Preparation

Step 1

1. Adjust the rack to the lower third of the oven and preheat the oven to 325°F. Unwrap an end of a chilled stick of unsalted butter and rub it over two large Teflon-coated baking sheets to apply a very thin film of fat.

2. In a large mixing bowl, whisk the whites with the sugar just until foamy, about 30 seconds. Whisk in the flour, then the butter and vanilla until well blended.

3. Drop teaspoonfuls of batter 1 1/2 inches apart on a baking sheet. Rap the baking sheet on the work surface to spread the batter slightly. Sprinkle a few sliced almonds on each disk.

4. Bake, one sheet at a time, for 8 minutes, or just until the edges are golden with ivory-colored centers. Place the baking sheets on a rack to cool for only 15 seconds. With a metal spatula, lift the cookies one at a time, and lay over a rolling pin to curve each cookie while it is still pliable. The cookies will crisp as they cool.

5. Repeat the baking and shaping process with the remaining batter.

6. Stack in an airtight container and store at room temperature up to 1 week. Keep the tuiles in the container until serving, since they are very susceptible to any moisture in the air.