Almond Tiles 杏仁瓦片

These crispy cookies are addictive. They are not just light and crunchy but relatively healthier than other cookies because they are loaded with almonds.  They are also called Lacy Curved Almond Wafers or Crisps. It all depends on how you shape them after they come out of the oven. If you lay them out flat, they become crisp and flat. If you put them on a rolling pin, they will curve like a roof tile. No matter how they are shaped, they are equally yummy.

這些杏仁薄脆真的會食上瘾,它香脆可口,用了很多杏仁,比起一般曲奇有益健康些少。它可以做成薄薄的一片,又或者焗完之後立刻放在擀麵杖上便可以做成彎彎的瓦片,無論是什麽的造形,都一樣好食!



Recipe adapted from Julia Child,  Mastering the Art of French Cooking, volume two

Ingredients for making about 45 tile shaped cookies, 3 inches in diameter or two 17x12 baking sheets

40g/5 tbsp cake flour  低筋麵粉
30g/1/3 cup ground blanched almonds  杏仁粉
100g/ 1/2 cup sugar  糖
2 egg whites  蛋白
49g/3 1/2 tbsp soft unsalted butter  無鹽牛油,室温
1/4 tsp pure almond extract  杏仁香油
1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract  雲呢哪香油
1/2 cup sliced, shaved, or slivered almonds  杏仁片

Spread out the batter as thin as possible. It is almost transparent after baking.

1)  Preheat oven to 425F.
2)  Beat soft butter with sugar until soft and fluffy.
3)  Add egg whites and beat until just blended.
4)  Sift the flour over the batter, folding it with a spatula. Fold in the ground almonds and the almond and vanilla extracts.
5)  For the tiles, drop half a teaspoon of batter onto a baking sheet with parchment paper or Silpat. Spread thin with the back of a spoon. For the flat cookies, spread the other half of the batter onto a lined baking sheet. Spread thin with a spatula.
6)  Sprinkle the sliced almonds on top. Bake for about 4 mins for tiles or 10-15 minutes for flat cookies on the baking sheet.

7)  For baking tiles: slide a metal spatula under the cookie. Scrape and lift if off and put it on a rolling pin or a bottle.

預熱焗爐至425度。牛油與糖打至鬆軟,加入蛋白,攪勻後篩入低筋麵粉、杏仁粉、杏仁及雲呢哪香油,輕手拌勻便可。如做瓦片,便將约半茶匙粉漿放在已有焗爐纸之焗盆上,用匙將它攤薄;如做整盆薄脆,便將一半粉漿塗在盆上,攤薄,再將杏仁片放上。瓦片焗約四、五分鐘,整盆薄脆焗約十至十五分鐘。瓦片出爐後要立刻鏟起放在擀麵杖上另它定形。

Notes:
1)  Batter has to be spread as thin as possible before baking for maximum crispiness.
2)  Store cookies in an airtight container in room temperature for a few days.

注意事項:
蛋漿要盡量攤薄才會脆口,焗完要待涼後才可密封,保存幾天也可保持香脆。