Thin Curved Tuiles

Before you start

Tuiles take their name from the curved roof tiles they resemble. The batter is a simple equal-weight mix of butter, powdered sugar, egg white and flour, spread almost transparently thin and baked until the edges turn golden. While still hot the wafers are pliable, so you have a few seconds to drape them over a rolling pin, roll them into cigars or press them into cups.

Thickness and timing decide everything. A stencil gives even rounds that bake at the same rate; free-spread batter leaves thick spots that stay pale and soft. Bake only a few at a time, because the wafers set in about 15 seconds once they leave the oven. If they firm before you shape them, slide the sheet back in for 30 seconds to soften them again.

Ingredients

• 50 g (3½ tbsp) unsalted butter — melted and cooled
• 50 g (scant ½ cup) powdered sugar
• 50 g (about 1½ large) egg whites — room temperature
• 50 g (⅓ cup plus 1 tbsp) all-purpose flour
• ¼ tsp vanilla extract
• Pinch fine salt
• 1 tbsp sliced almonds or sesame seeds — optional, for topping

Method

1. Whisk the powdered sugar, flour and salt in a bowl. Add the egg whites and vanilla and whisk until smooth and lump-free.
2. Whisk in the melted butter until the batter is glossy and loose, like a thick crêpe batter. Cover and chill for 30 minutes so it firms enough to spread cleanly.
3. Heat the oven to 175°C (350°F). Line the baking sheet with the silicone mat; parchment wrinkles and makes uneven wafers.
4. Lay the stencil on the mat, drop about 1 teaspoon (8 g) of batter into the cutout and scrape it flat with the offset spatula so it is evenly thin and almost see-through. Lift the stencil straight up. Make 8 rounds, spaced 3 cm apart. Scatter a few almond slices on each if using.
5. Bake for 6 to 8 minutes, until the outer 1 cm of each wafer is golden brown and the centers are just turning blond. Pale tuiles stay bendy after cooling.
6. Working quickly, slide the thin spatula under one wafer at a time and drape it over the rolling pin, pressing gently so it takes the curve. They set within about 15 seconds.
7. If the last wafers harden before you shape them, return the sheet to the oven for 30 seconds to soften them. Leave the shaped tuiles on the pin for 2 minutes, then transfer them to a rack. Repeat with the remaining batter on a cooled mat.

Tips for success

• Cut a stencil from the lid of a plastic container. A round, a long oval or a thin strip for spirals all work with the same batter.
• Bake a single test wafer first to check thickness and oven color before you commit a full sheet.
• For cups, press the hot wafer into a muffin tin or over an upturned glass instead of the rolling pin.

Substitutions

All-purpose flour

Replace 15 g of the flour with almond flour for a nuttier wafer. It browns faster, so shave a minute off the bake.

Powdered sugar

Superfine granulated sugar works at the same weight but the batter is slightly grainier and the tuiles spread a little more.

Butter

A neutral oil can stand in at the same weight. The wafers will be crisp but lose the buttery flavor and brown less evenly.

Variations

Cocoa tuiles

Replace 10 g of the flour with unsweetened cocoa powder. Watch them carefully since the dark color hides browning; bake by time and feel.

Sesame tuiles

Sprinkle each round with black and white sesame seeds and a few flakes of salt. Serve with ice cream or panna cotta.

Troubleshooting

Tuiles are chewy or bend after cooling

They were underbaked or spread too thick. Bake until the edges are clearly golden and scrape the batter thinner. Re-crisp soft ones at 150°C (300°F) for 2 minutes.

Wafers crack when shaped

They cooled too long before shaping. Bake fewer at a time and soften stiff wafers in the oven for 30 seconds.

Lacy holes and uneven edges

The batter was too warm and thin or spread unevenly. Chill it for 30 minutes and use a stencil for a consistent layer.

Storage

Tuiles soften quickly in humid air. Store them in an airtight container with a piece of paper towel at room temperature for up to 3 days. The batter keeps covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Safety notes

The batter contains raw egg white and raw flour; do not eat it unbaked. Contains wheat, egg and milk, and tree nuts if you add almonds.