Almond Lace Tuiles

These caramelised, wafer-thin Lace Tuiles (pronounce “tweel”) 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!

I have fallen HARD for these tuiles!! They are so amazing – incredibly fine, shatteringly crisp, and they have the most divine caramel flavour. They remind me of good ole’ brandy snaps, except these are more crisp and don’t have ginger or brandy flavour. And they are EASY to make! Watch the video and you will see!

French tuiles are those classic wafer-thin biscuits you often see served with ice cream and plated desserts in restaurants, either rolled into cigar shapes or presented as delicate shards. I made countless batches of them in my first restaurant job, and you find them all over France, from elegant pâtisseries to local bakeries. They are very traditional.

Many home-style recipes look more like thin vanilla biscuits. But in France, and in restaurants, tuiles are baked until deeply caramelised and wafer-thin, creating the beautiful lace-like pattern that makes them so recognisable. C’est magnifique!

I make my tuiles into a U shape as this is the most common shape. But they can be moulded into other shapes such as cigars and baskets, or even keep them flat.

Tuiles vs Brandy Snaps

If you know what brandy snaps are (an Australian and English biscuit), these tuiles will feel familiar. They have the same delicate lace-like look and caramelised flavour, but they’re even crisper, with a lovely almond flavour instead of the ginger and brandy notes that make brandy snaps so distinctive.

Ingredients

You only need 5 ingredients to make Almond Lace Tuiles.

Flaked almonds – This is the almond flavour in these tuiles. I use flaked almonds because they are thin and delicate, just like the tuiles themselves, so you don’t end up with lumps on the surface. They also toast evenly, giving the tuiles a more refined texture and appearance.
Orange juice – This is the liquid to thin the biscuit batter so it spreads to make the tuiles thin. The orange flavour is the classic combination with the caramel and almond flavour in the tuiles.
Unsalted butter – The butter is melted then simply mixed into the batter.
Sugar – Use caster sugar (superfine sugar) because it melts more easily than regular sugar which has larger grains.
Flour – Plain flour / all-purpose flour. There is no baking powder in tuiles so don’t substitute with self-raising flour.

How to make Almond Lace Tuiles

The key to making tuiles is to shape them after they have cooled enough to set so they can be lifted without breaking, but still warm enough to be shaped. This window is about 2 minutes so you don’t need to rush, but don’t be worried if you do miss it because they can be put back into the oven to soften again and you can have another go.

1. Make tuiles batter

Mix dry ingredients – Place the flour and sugar in a bowl and stir to combine.
Add wet ingredients and almonds – Add the melted butter and orange juice and stir them in until you can no longer see any bits of dry ingredients. Fold the almonds in gently with the spoon until evenly combined.

The batter is quite loose at this stage. Refrigerate for 2 hours to firm it up so it can be scooped. This also gives the flour time to hydrate which helps to ensure the tuiles have the paper thin snap.

2. Bake and shape

For shaping – You will need something that is cylindrical so the tuiles set in a U shape. I use 2 rolling pins that are 4.5cm / 1.6″ wide. You can use glasses or even slim bottles (eg vinegar bottles).

Place the rolling pins (or whatever you are using) on folded tea towels to stop them from moving.

You can also make them into other shapes like cigars, baskets, or even keep them flat. See FAQ for more information.
Mound on trays and first bake – Line two baking trays with baking paper / parchment paper. Scoop out tablespoons of the batter and create four mounds on each tray. The tuiles will spread, so leave 10 cm / 4” between each mound.

Bake in a preheated 170°C / 340°F (150°C fan-forced) oven for 5 minutes. The batter will spread and they will still be light-coloured at this stage.

After first bake – This is what the tuiles look like after 5 minutes in the oven. They will have spread a bit and some might have a little hump in the middle. If we don’t give them a little helping hand, they will not spread enough to become thin and crispy, so now we spread them a bit.
Flatten and spread tuiles – Use a fork to gently spread and smear the partially cooked tuiles to spread them out into 10 cm / 4” circles. They don’t need to be perfectly round, just do your best. Don’t worry about any holes, the batter will spread to close them up during the second bake.

This is a step you don’t typically see in standard recipes. It is a technique I learnt at restaurants which ensures that the tuiles will be as thin as possible and crispy, and have the signature lace-look.

Second bake – Return the tuiles to the oven and bake for a further 13–15 minutes until a lovely dark golden brown colour. Leave to cool on the trays for 1 minute so they firm up slightly and won’t break when you move them. If the tuiles have joined together, separate them using a butter knife during this 1 minute cooling time – it has to be done while they are hot and pliable.
Lift – Use a spatula to lift the tuiles off the trays, one at a time, and transfer them to the rolling pins. You should be able to fit two tuiles on each rolling pin.

Set in U-shape – Drape the tuiles over the rolling pins so they slightly curl around and form the signature U-shape. They will harden and become crisp as they cool down.

If the tuiles have cooled too much and aren’t bending, put them back in the oven for a minute or so to make them pliable again.
Cool completely and serve – Leave the tuiles on the rolling pins to cool for 5 minutes until they are set in the U-shape, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. The tuiles will be crisp and able to stand up on their own. Repeat the mounding, baking and shaping process with the remaining batter.

How to eat and serve Almond Lace Tuiles

My favourite way is to eat them plain, because they are so delicious on their own. I would buy boxes of them from the local bakery in our village in France and consume half of them on the way home! I think it’s safe to say this is Nagi’s favourite way to eat them too, based on how many she ate when I was shooting these!!

They are perfect for afternoon tea or a light dessert after dinner with tea or coffee. At restaurants I worked at, we would also use them as a dessert topper – tucked into scoops of ice cream, mousses or plated desserts to add a delicate crunch.

To make it a little fancier, they can be served filled with whipped cream and berries, like pictured below.

Whichever of these options you choose, I hope these tuiles bring as much pleasure to you as they have to me over the years. Please don’t hesitate to drop feedback if you try the recipe, I’d love to know what you think. Bon appétit! – JB

FAQ – Almond Lace Tuiles

Watch How To Make It

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Almond Lace Tuiles – RecipeTin Eats

Nagi’s Notes