Tuiles aux Amandes
Ingredients
- 2 egg whites
- 3 tbsp caster sugar
- A pinch of salt
- 1 tbsp flour
- 30 g slivered almonds
- 2 tbsp melted butter
Tuiles are named after the curved terracotta tiles on southern French roofs, and the shape is the whole difficulty: the batter — barely more than egg whites, sugar, melted butter, a spoonful of flour and slivered almonds — is spread into thin discs and baked only until the edges colour while the centre stays pale. They come out soft and have perhaps fifteen seconds of working time. Each one has to be lifted with a knife and laid over a rolling pin immediately; a tuile left flat on the tray sets flat, and a cooled one cracks if you try to bend it.
Method
Heat the oven to 180°C (350°F).
Combine the egg whites, sugar, salt, flour, half the slivered almonds and the melted butter in a large bowl.
Scoop 1 teaspoon of batter per biscuit onto a parchment-lined tray, spacing them well apart, and scatter the remaining almonds on top.
Bake 8-10 minutes, until slightly golden at the edges and still white in the centre.
Lift each tuile immediately with a large knife and drape it over a rolling pin so it takes the curve.
Move them to a wire rack to cool completely and crisp.
