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Pastries and Cookies

Paper-Thin Almond Paste Tuile Batter for Classic Tuile Cookies

by Lisa

Trained pastry chef

Paper-thin golden tuile cookies made from almond paste tuile batter

5.0 (3)out of 5, 3 ratings

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Prep
5 min
Bake
15 min
Total
20 min
Makes
30

One of the first things you learn in a pastry shop is that the finest things are often made from just a handful of ingredients. Tuile cookies (known in Germany as Hippengebäck) fall right into this category: paper-thin, crisp, traditionally served with iced coffee and hardly ever found in shops anymore. In my almond paste tuile batter there's no artificial flavoring, just real almond paste, which I work with egg white until it's soft and there are no lumps left.

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After my wreath cookies last week and all your lovely feedback, I'm adding another classic bake that a lot of people no longer know. The recipe needs only four ingredients, but there are two things you mustn't skip: pass it once through a very fine sieve and let it rest for at least two to three hours, so the powdered sugar dissolves completely and the air bubbles rise to the top. By the way, you can hardly taste the almond paste in the end; it just makes everything more rounded. Here is my basic recipe for classic almond paste tuile batter:

Ingredients

Makes 30

  • 3 oz88 galmond pasteRaw marzipan with a high almond and low sugar content, used for baking. In the US use almond paste (not marzipan, which is a sweeter almond and sugar paste); in the UK, almond paste, or the marzipan with the highest almond content you can find.
  • ½ cup62 gpowdered sugarVery finely ground sugar for icings and dusting. In the US use powdered sugar (confectioners' sugar); in the UK, icing sugar.
  • ¼ cup62 gegg whitesabout 2 large egg whites
  • 4 tbsp30 gall-purpose flourIn German recipes plain flour means soft wheat flour Type 405 unless stated otherwise. In the US use all-purpose flour; in the UK, plain flour.

Method

  1. Finely chop or grate the almond paste.

  2. Add ⅓ of the egg white to the almond paste and work everything into a thick, smooth paste. Work in the remaining egg white in 2 portions.

  3. Work in the powdered sugar.

  4. Finally, briefly work in the flour.

  5. Press the batter through a fine sieve to catch any bits of almond paste. Let it stand for 3 hours.

  6. Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C) convection (fan) or 400°F (200°C) conventional (top and bottom heat). Spread the batter over a tuile stencil onto parchment paper or silicone mats.

  7. Baking time varies; a nice golden color is what you're after.

Questions and answers

What's the difference between almond paste and marzipan?
For tuile batter you really need almond paste, not ready-made marzipan. Almond paste is purer and less sweet; marzipan already has extra sugar in it and would make the batter too sweet and give it the wrong consistency.
How do I soften almond paste for tuile batter?
I first chop the almond paste into rough pieces and then work it soft with a small splash of egg white. I use a sturdy whisk for this, but a fork works too. Important: add only a small amount of egg white at the start, otherwise the pieces just float on top and won't work in.
Why does tuile batter have to be passed through a sieve?
Passing it through a very fine sieve is a must for me. It catches bits of almond paste, pushes the powdered sugar through and removes lumps of flour. It also presses out some air bubbles. Without sieving, the batter won't turn out even later on.
How long does almond paste tuile batter need to rest?
At least two to three hours. During that time the remaining air bubbles rise to the top and, above all, the powdered sugar has time to dissolve completely. If the sugar doesn't dissolve, the cookies won't bake evenly and will look speckled.
Can I bake tuiles without a special stencil?
Yes, you can. I sometimes take a thin, flexible plastic cutting board and cut out my own pattern. Cake stencils won't do, they're too thin. Tuile stencils from baking supply stores aren't expensive, though, and they're exactly the right thickness.
Can you taste the almond paste in tuile cookies?
Honestly, you can hardly taste it. Even my mom didn't notice there was almond paste in them. It makes the cookies more delicate and rounded in flavor, but they don't taste overpoweringly of marzipan.