The Art of the Tuiles
The curved cookies called tuiles, so named for their resemblance to the terra-cotta roof tiles seen throughout the south of France, are very thin and quite delicate. They take a little practice to make, just like crêpes or pancakes do, but once you get the hang of it, they‘re quite fun to make and shape. Here are a few tricks we’ve learned along the way for making these elegant little beauties.
Get set up—As in most baking projects, it’s a good idea to set out everything before you begin. This is especially true when making tuiles, as the cookies must be shaped one at a time while still warm from the oven.
Have on hand a very thin metal spatula (like the fish spatula we love to use for just about everything). It makes the job of lifting the warm cookies off the parchment paper much easier because the tool’s sharp edge is thin and flexible—just perfect for sliding under the superthin cookies without denting them.
You’ll also need to have a rolling pin or a clean round bottle at the ready to use to drape the warm cookies over, which gives them their distinctive curve.
Spread it thin—When spreading out the cookie batter on the parchment paper with the back of the spoon, don’t be afraid to spread it out quite thin. If the batter is thinner in some spots than others, it won’t matter because as the cookies bake, any grooves disappear.
Bake small batches—Since the cookies are only pliable while they’re hot, we only make 4–6 at a time, the amount we can safely lift off the parchment paper and shape before the cookies cool down. If they do get too cool to shape, returning them to the oven briefly to warm up will make them pliable again.
Bend them into shape—Although the cookies will be thin and flexible as they come out of the oven, they won’t exactly drape like a cloth over the rolling pin or bottle, so you’ll need to shape them. Place the cookie on the rolling pin or bottle, and use your hand to gently bend it into a curve, and then keep your hand in place until it holds its shape. When the cookie is cool, slide it off to the side to make room to shape the next warm cookie.
TUILES
makes 2–3 dozen
2 egg whites, at room temperature
Pinch of salt
6 tablespoons sugar
¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
¼ teaspoon almond extract
½ cup sifted cake flour
5 tablespoons very soft (but not melted) unsalted butter
½ cup sliced blanched almonds
Preheat the oven to 350°. Line several cookie sheets with parchment paper and set aside. Set out a rolling pin to use to drape the warm cookies over when they come out of the oven.
Whisk together the egg whites, salt, sugar, and the vanilla and almond extracts in a medium mixing bowl until very frothy. Whisk in the flour in thirds. Whisk in the butter, a few tablespoons at a time, until the batter is smooth and opaque.
Using a tablespoon, place the batter at least 3 inches apart, on the prepared cookie sheets and using the back of the spoon, spread the batter out in a circular motion into a 3–4-inch round. The batter will look very thin and uneven, but don’t worry; the cookies will come out fine. Scatter some almonds on top.
Bake the cookies one sheet at a time until very pale golden brown in the center and deeper brown around the edges, 8–10 minutes. Remove from the oven. Working quickly while cookies are still hot, use a thin metal spatula to lift each off the parchment paper, then drape it over the rolling pin, gently bending it with your hand to shape it into a curve. Reheat the cookies in the oven briefly if they have cooled too much and are no longer pliable. Transfer the shaped cookies to wire racks to cool completely.
