Equipment
Ingredients
Tuile Batter
- 100 g egg whites, room temperature
- 100 g caster sugar
- 50 g unsalted butter, melted and cooled
- 35 g all-purpose flour, sifted
- 100 g sliced almonds, untoasted
- 3 ml vanilla extract
- 1 g kosher salt
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 63 kcal
- Protein
- 2 g
- Carbohydrates
- 6 g
- Fat
- 4 g
- Fiber
- 1 g
- Sugar
- 4 g
- Sodium
- 23 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 1 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 2 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 1 g
- Cholesterol
- 4 mg
- Potassium
- 40 mg
- Calcium
- 12 mg
- Iron
- 0.2 mg
- Magnesium
- 12 mg
- Phosphorus
- 23 mg
- Zinc
- 0.1 mg
- Vitamin A
- 14 mcg
- Vitamin E
- 1.1 mg
- Vitamin K
- 0 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.0 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 0.0 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.01 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.07 mg
- Niacin
- 0.2 mg
- Folate
- 2 mcg
- Water
- 4 g
- Alcohol
- 0 g
Sources: USDA FoodData Central
Method
In a mixing bowl, combine the egg whites, caster sugar, vanilla extract, and kosher salt. Whisk gently just until the sugar is dissolved and the ingredients are combined. Do not whip air into the mixture.
Pour the melted and cooled unsalted butter into the egg white mixture, whisking gently until thoroughly incorporated.
Add the sifted all-purpose flour to the bowl. Fold it in using a spatula until no dry streaks remain, then carefully fold in the sliced almonds, taking care not to crush them.
Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and chill the batter in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours. This resting period allows the flour to hydrate and the butter to firm up, preventing the cookies from spreading out too rapidly in the oven.
Preheat your oven to 160°C / 320°F. Line a heavy baking sheet with a silicone baking mat.
Drop small portions of batter onto the prepared baking mat, using about 15 grams per cookie. Use an offset spatula to spread the batter as thinly as possible into circular or oval shapes, ensuring the almond slices lay mostly flat in a single layer. Space them well apart.
Bake in the preheated oven for 10 to 12 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through. The tuiles are ready when the edges are a deep golden brown and the centers are uniformly light golden.
Remove the baking sheet from the oven. Immediately, while the cookies are still hot and pliable, use an offset spatula to lift them one by one and drape them over a rolling pin. Press very gently so they take on a curved shape.
Allow the tuiles to cool on the rolling pin for 1 to 2 minutes until fully set and rigid, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely. Repeat the spreading, baking, and shaping process with the remaining batter.
Chef's Notes
- Precision is critical for tuiles. Spreading the batter thin enough so the almonds sit in a single layer ensures maximum crispness.
- A silicone baking mat is highly recommended over parchment paper because it prevents the batter from sliding around as you try to spread it thinly.
- Store the finished tuiles in an airtight container with a food-safe desiccant packet to maintain their delicate snap in humid environments.
- You can customize this foundational batter by swapping the vanilla extract for a drop of almond extract to heavily accentuate the nuttiness, or by adding citrus zest.
Storage
Refrigerator: 3 days — Raw batter can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days in an airtight container.
Freezer: 1 month — Baked tuiles do not freeze well as moisture ruins their delicate snap. Raw batter can be frozen for up to 1 month.
Reheating: Refresh softened baked tuiles in a 150°C / 300°F oven for 3 minutes, then cool on a wire rack.
Troubleshooting
Cookies shatter or crack when bending over the rolling pin
Cause: The tuiles cooled down too much and lost their flexibility before shaping
Fix: Return the baking sheet to the oven for 30 to 60 seconds to reheat and soften the remaining tuiles before shaping
Prevention: Bake in smaller batches of 4 to 6 cookies so you have ample time to shape them all while hot
Tuiles are thick, chewy, or soft instead of crisp
Cause: Batter was spread too thickly or cookies were underbaked
Fix: Underbaked tuiles that have cooled can be returned flat to a 150°C / 300°F oven for a few minutes to dry out, though they cannot be reshaped
Prevention: Spread batter thinly until almonds form a single flat layer, and ensure centers turn completely golden before removing from oven
Cultural Context
The word tuile translates to tile in French, a direct reference to the traditional curved terracotta roof tiles found on country homes in Provence. Originally a classic bakery staple and elegant restaurant petit four, tuiles demonstrate the French culinary principle of elevating simple pantry ingredients through technique and precise timing.
