Almond Lace Tuiles

5 from 1 vote

Recipe video above. These caramelised, wafer-thin Lace Almond Tuiles are a simple French snack or dessert that always makes an impression. As the name suggests, these biscuits look just like a piece of delicate lace, only even better as they’re edible!

Eat them plain, fill them with cream and berries, or use as a topper for ice cream or a plated dessert for an instant restaurant touch.

Prep Time10

Cook Time30

Batter fridge time2

Total Time2 40

Course: Dessert, Sweet, Sweet Baking

Cuisine: French

Keyword: almond tuiles, lace tuiles

Servings: - 16 pieces

Calories: 77cal

Author: Chef JB (RecipeTin)

Ingredients

2/3 cup caster sugar (superfine sugar)
1/4 cup plain flour (all-purpose flour)
50g / 3 1/2 tbsp unsalted butter , melted
3 tbsp orange juice (Note: I use 15 ml tablespoons. Some tablespoon measures in Australia are 20 ml)
3/4 cup almond flakes , or slivered almonds

Cups - Metric

Instructions

ABBREVIATED RECIPE

Mix flour and sugar, mix in butter and orange juice, then almonds. Refrigerate 2 hours. Dollop 4 x 1 tbsp mounds on a tray (do 2 trays). Bake 5 min, spread melted tuiles into 10cm/4" circles, bake 13-15 min until deep golden. Cool 1 - 1 1/2 min, lift and shape on rolling pins, will crisp as they cool.

FULL RECIPE

Mix dry – In a bowl, combine the caster sugar and plain flour using a wooden spoon or a spatula.
Add wet – Pour in the melted butter and orange juice. Mix until combined.
Add almonds – Gently fold in the almond flakes. The batter is quite loose, it is not a stiff cookie dough.
Refrigerate for 2 hours. This firms up the batter to make it scoop-able.
Preheat the oven to 170°C / 340°F (150°C fan-forced). Line 2 baking trays with baking paper / parchment paper.
Mounds - Scoop a tablespoon of mixture out of the bowl and use a teaspoon to scoop it out onto the tray. Do 4 mounds on each tray, leaving about 10cm / 4” between each mound.
First bake – Bake for 5 minutes. The mounds will have melted (mostly or fully). Remove the trays and, using a fork, gently press and spread each into a 10cm/4" circle - do your best, they don't have to be perfect circles. Don't worry if you have holes, they will close up as the batter melts in the 2nd bake. This step is what makes the tuiles so thin they end up with the signature see-through lace pattern.
Second bake – Return to the oven and bake for another 13 to 15 minutes until they are deep golden brown, not just a light golden. The bottom tray may need an extra 1 to 2 minutes.
Prepare shaping station – Place 2 rolling pins over folded tea towels so they stay stable. (Note 1)
Cool 1 minute – Remove trays from the oven. Let the tuiles cool on the tray for 1 to 1 1/2 minutes so they slightly firm up enough to be able to lift them with a spatula without breaking. (Note 2) If the tuiles have melted into each other, separate them during this time - just use a butter knife.
Shaping - The video is helpful here (at X.X minutes ). Working quickly, gently lift them using an offset spatula or regular spatula and place them over the rolling pins to create their signature curved shape. If the tuiles set too much to be shaped, pop them back into the oven for a minute or two, until they become pliable again.
Cool to crisp - Leave to fully cool and crisp (about 5 minutes) then transfer onto a cooling rack to fully cool. (Note 3)
Repeat the same process with the remaining tuile mixture.
Serve with desserts, ice cream, coffee or simply enjoy as a crisp sweet snack. They are also lovely filled with whipped cream and berries, as pictured in the post.

Notes

1. Rolling pins - I like using 2 rolling pins so I can shape both trays at the same time while the tuiles are still warm and flexible. My rolling pins are 51cm / 20" long and 4.5 cm / 1.8" wide. If you only have 1 rolling pin, shape the first tray first. Once those tuiles are ready, simply place the second tray back into the oven for a couple of minutes to soften the tuiles again before shaping.

You can also use glasses, jars, or anything that is a cylindrical shape. You can also roll them into cigars using cannoli cylinders or other metal tubes.

2. Let them cool slightly first - Fresh out of the oven the tuiles are too soft and delicate to lift. Letting them cool briefly sets them enough so they don't break when you lift them.

3. Work quickly when shaping - Once they cool too much they will harden and may crack when shaped. If this happens, simply return the tray to the oven for a couple of minutes to soften them again.

Leftovers and storage - Once fully cooled, store the almond tuiles in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days. They are best kept somewhere dry, as humidity will soften them and make them lose their crispness.

Nutrition per serving.

Nutrition